Family Ties
by ttfan111robstar1
Summary: Sequel to Secrets And Whispers Of An Unsound Mind. Spencer bonds with his newly reunited family and his friends. Rated M for infantilism. NOW COMPLETE!
1. Family Ties

William helped his son bring in boxes out of the moving truck.

"Are you sure that you want to move in here?" He asked, trying to hide his fear of his son leaving.

"I'm sure. I missed out on enough family time." Spencer said, setting his box down in the living room. This was his last box in a series of ten.

William smiled. "I'm glad. And to welcome you home, I have a surprise from myself and your mother."

His eyes brightened. "What is it?"

"Come with me and I'll show you."

Spencer looked at the room in wonder. It was an oversized nursery. The crib was in one corner, with a changing table in the other. There was a shiny white rocking chair, a brown toy chest, a tiny white bookshelf overflowing with books, a closet across the room, and adjacent to that was a dresser full of onesies and footie pajamas. To Spencer, it was like a dream.

He hugged his father, much to William's hidden delight.

"Thank you." It was a genuine and happy phrase. William smiled.

"You're welcome. But you have to listen carefully to me, Spencer. This room is only for you, Mommy, and I to go in. Mommy and I both have keys, and we'll make you one within the week. When nobody's home, this room has to be locked. If anyone you know comes over, your room is the one down the hall from the master suite. You have to promise me that you'll follow these rules, otherwise we'll take the key away. Do you understand?" It was of the utmost importance that they kept this within family only, for fear of those who weren't so forgiving finding out.

To him, the rules seemed fair enough.

"Yes, Daddy."

"Are you ready to go see Mommy?"

"Yes!"

William laughed. "Alright. Let's go."

Diana was busy journaling in her room when they arrived.

Spencer came in first. "Mommy!"

Diana smiled and shut her journal, then opened her arms for her son who flew into them.

"Hi, baby. How are you today?" She kissed his cheek. He giggled.

"Good."

"Did you like your surprise?"

He nodded vigorously. She laughed. It was a sound he seldom heard, and he loved it. She smiled up at her husband.

"And how are you, Mr. Reid?"

"Wonderful now that you're here Mrs. Reid."

They shared a kiss and talked for a few minutes before simultaneously turning their attention to their son.

It was late afternoon, and Spencer yawned. Diana tried to hide her smile.

"Are you tired, baby?" He nodded, and walked over to the couch in her room, sucking his thumb. They both tucked him in and let him fall asleep before indulging in a make out session.

They whispered quietly to each other, holding hands and wrapping their arms around one another. They stayed this way for two hours before Spencer woke up.

Diana went over to him and stroked his hair. "How are you feeling, sweetheart?"

A tired smile was all the response she got. He made a soft cooing sound and reached up to his mother. Diana plucked him up and cradled him to her chest, giving him several kisses until he giggled. She grinned.

"I love seeing that smile."

His grin only widened. William sat with them, smiling at his son as he put his hand on his wife's shoulder. For an instant they were the spitting image of the perfect family. Diana turned to her son.

"Do you need a change, baby?"

He nodded. Diana kissed her husband before whisking her son away into the bathroom. Spencer slipped his thumb into his mouth, smiling. He yawned, and it was one of the most precious things Diana had ever seen. She kissed him and took him back out to his father.

William couldn't help but smile at the sight of his wife and son. His love for them knew no bounds. Spending time with them was one of the most important things he could do. He handed his son his beloved teddy bear, which Spencer nuzzled happily.

"Do you want a bottle, sweetheart?" Asked Diana. He nodded. "I'll go fix it for you." When she went to get up, William put a hand on her shoulder.

"I'll get it for you." Diana smiled and pecked her husband on the cheek.

"Thanks, honey."

"Sure."

Spencer inhaled his mother's scent and was comforted by it. Diana put his pacifier in his mouth, and he suckled on it greedily. The sound was music to Diana's ears. She hummed a pleasant tune as her son cuddled his favorite stuffed animal. William was back a few minutes later, and Spencer was excited to have a bottle.

"Do you want Mommy or Daddy to feed you?" Asked Diana.

Spencer considered this for a moment, then put his pacifier out of his mouth.

"I want Daddy."

Those three words, so simple and unassuming to most, made William's heart soar with pride. He was finally doing something right by his family. Spencer laid in his father's lap and snuggled close to him.

He was pleasantly surprised by how Spencer was taking to him. His son was completely relaxed in his lap. William ran his fingers through Spencer's hair, calming him even further. His emotions, normally so erratic and overwhelming, were nearly nonexistent. He was floating in an ocean of calm.

Diana, so proud of her boys, just smiled. She loved them both so much, and seeing them together made her heart swell with happiness. Despite her illness, she considered herself a blessed woman. Her family was perfect. It may have taken years to pick up the pieces of her life, but she knew that it had only made her family stronger in the end.

When visiting hours were over, Spencer said goodbye to his mother before going back to his new home. William tucked his son into his crib, and Spencer squirmed happily.

"Goodnight, Spencer."

"Goodnight, Daddy."

He flicked the light off, and Spencer was left to watch the mobile spin over his head until he fell into a deep sleep.


	2. Saturday

Spencer opened his eyes to the dim lighting of the nursery. He squirmed a little and noticed the squish of his diaper underneath him. It felt strange, but still felt right. He put his pacifier into his mouth and his other hand frantically searching for his bear. When he found it, he calmed considerably. He focused his eyes on the bars of the crib, and it had a soothing effect on him. As he woke up slowly, his ears attuned themselves to footsteps in the hall.

Daddy.

What was he doing? Spencer wondered as he watched the spinning mobile above him. A lamb circled by, then a bird. then a bear, and a puppy. All set off by stars floating in the middle. It was nice, he decided. Soothing. He laid there a few minutes, enjoying himself.

The door opened and William came into the room, dressed in a black suit, and lowered the sidebar of the crib.

"Good morning, Spencer." He smiled, picking up his son and taking him to the changing table. Spencer grumbled something unintelligible in reply as he rubbed his eyes. William just shook his head in amusement. When he finished changing his son, he picked him up and took him into the kitchen, where a high chair was set up just for Spencer.

His son smiled. "For me?" He asked innocently.

"Yes." Said William, setting him in the chair.

Spencer couldn't stop smiling.

"What do you want to eat for breakfast?" Asked William.

Spencer shrugged.

"Do you want fruit or eggs?"

"Fruit."

"Mango kiwi or strawberry banana?"

"Mango."

"Okay."

Spencer swung his legs happily as his father got out the small jars of mashed fruit.

It was a surprisingly bright Saturday morning in Virginia, although it was very early- perhaps five or six in the morning. The sun filtered through all the windows in the house. Spencer could see birds landing on Rose bushes in the yard across the street. It made him feel cheerful.

He put his pacifier on the tray in front of him, still feeling drowsy.

William pulled up a chair to sit in before he began feeding his son. They both enjoyed a quiet breakfast.

When breakfast was over, William helped to dress his son before leading him to the car. He locked the nursery door behind him, then got into the driver's side of the car. By the time they left, it was nearly ten o'clock in the morning.

They drove off to the Piedmont Sanitarium together.

Diana was thrilled to know that her son and husband were coming. She was writing in her journal about her morning, and had taken all of her medication and eaten, all in preparation for seeing them.

Spencer was the first one out of the car and was quick to sign in before hurrying to his mother's room. William drove around to find a parking spot.

Diana was reading when Spencer came in.

"Mommy!"

She put the book aside and opened her arms so her son could run into them.

"Hi, baby!" She kissed his forehead and cuddled him. "Where's Daddy?"

"Daddy's parking the car."

"Okay, good."

He giggled, and she brushed a lock of hair behind his ear.

"How are you today, sweetheart?" She asked in her sing-song voice.

He smiled. "Good." She kissed his forehead, and he leaned on her chest, happy.

"Good." She stroked his hair gently like she knew he loved.

Her husband entered gracefully a moment later, and her grin widened until she wondered if she looked like The Joker or The Cheshire Cat from Alice In Wonderland.

Willam came in and leaned down to kiss his wife.

"Hello, my love." He whispered. The words still had the power to turn her insides to jello.

"Hello, darling." She replied, giving him an Eskimo kiss.

Spencer watched them with interest. Seeing his parents exchange signs of affection was still a little strange. It wasn't an unwelcome sight, but it still made his stomach clinch. Maybe because he himself found being touched uncomfortable in most situations. The only exceptions were with his parents and his friends.

William sat next to his wife and wrapped an arm around her. She smiled and shared a chaste kiss with her husband as her son snuggled with her. Nothing had ever felt so perfect to Diana as this moment. The two most important people in her life were there with her and beginning to love one another. Even though her illness had ravaged her life, somehow she had picked up the pieces and learned to live with it.

Spencer was happily snuggled with both of his parents. He could feel their love and affection coming off of them in waves. Mommy had always loved him like that, but this kind of love from Daddy was still new. However, he was quickly learning to reciprocate.

"What do you want to do today, sweetheart?" Diana crooned. William watched his son with a smile. Spencer grinned in turn.

"I wanna bottle." He said, looking at both of them with big eyes. Diana looked at William with one eyebrow quirked up.

"Did you give him one with his breakfast?" She asked. William shook his head, silently berating himself for making such a stupid mistake. Diana stroked his cheek and looked at him, silently telling him that it was alright. William decided to get up and fix it to reconcile his earlier mistake. Diana took the chance to read him the poetry of Alfred Lord Tennyson. Specifically, The Song Of The Lotos-Eaters. She found the rhythm very soothing. Spencer did too, as he sucked his thumb in time to the poem.

William returned quickly with his son's bottle and watched him suckle on it as he laid in his mother's lap. Diana looked at him and gave him a kiss. William smirked.

"You look mighty fine, Mrs. Reid." He whispered.

She grinned. "As do you, Mr. Reid."

He leaned in and kissed her cheek just to hear her laugh.

Meanwhile, Spencer was already falling asleep. Diana picked him up and laid him in her bed to take a nap before going back to sit with her husband on the couch. They kissed and whispered to one another as they cuddled together.

It was the perfect morning.


	3. Stories

Diana watched over her son as he slept. She sat with her husband on the couch, whispering to him and sharing a few chaste kisses. Her worry was persistent. She always fussed over him, just because she knew he had always been different. She wanted to protect him from everything. That was her goal in life. Unfortunately, life had already dealt her a shit hand of cards. No matter how much she wanted to protect him from harm, she couldn't protect him from the one person he should have been able to count on: herself. Damn schizophrenia. Damn it all to hell. She desperately wished that she had some way to cure it. Unfortunately she had no way of doing so. She loved her son so much it hurt. It was overwhelming. Her condition did nothing to cripple that. But sometimes it made it harder to show it.

Spencer started to toss and turn in his sleep, whimpering quietly to himself. Diana shot up from her seat and easily made her way to her son. She gently shook his shoulder.

"Spencer. Wake up, sweetheart."

He gasped and his eyes snapped open.

"It's okay, baby. It was just a bad dream." She soothed.

He looked around the room with wide eyes, panting.

"You're safe." Diana promised. Spencer looked up sat his mother, bottom lip trembling as tears raced down his cheeks. Diana pressed him to her chest. "It's okay, sweetheart. Mommy's here. Mommy's got you. Everything's alright. Shhh."

Spencer sobbed into her chest.

William rose to join his wife and son.

Diana sat on the bed and pulled her son into her lap, kissing the crown of his head. Her poor baby...

"It's okay, sweetheart." She consoled him. William put a hand on his son's shoulder, and Spencer looked up at him through his eyelashes.

"It's okay, Spencer." William soothed. A faint smile touched his son's lips. His parents were there. Against all odds they had fallen in love all over again. They were there supporting and loving him after everything he'd been through. He felt safe at last. Diana handed her son his beloved pacifier, and he sucked on it gratefully. After a few minutes he was able to calm down.

There was so much that he loved about being a baby. The care, attention, and clear affection were certainly factors, but his most favorite part of babyhood was learning. Babies knew the least coming into the world. Every day they learned something knew. Getting to experience that all over again was a thrill.

Diana picked him up and snuggled him. "Is my baby boy happy now?" She crooned. He giggled.

"Yes, Mommy." He refused to take his pacifier from his mouth. Diana's eyes flickered to her bed as the idea to make it came around, but she was halted when she noticed a small discoloration on the sheets.

"Spencer, did you use your diaper yet?"

He hadn't thought about it and shrugged in confusion. She was quick to check and was proven correct. This made her frown as she changed him. She didn't want him to become desensitized to that aspect of his body. She tried to convince herself that it was an accident and that there was no reason for her to be concerned, but still her worry lingered. After he was clean again, his mother had him latched onto her hip.

Spencer reached out eagerly toward his father, who happily took him. Diana grinned as she watched their interactions with one another. Spencer sat in his Daddy's lap as he started to tell him stories of far away places and adventures in other lands. Spencer, always eager to learn, listened in rapture. Diana knew he was making it up as he went along. She gave her husband credit- he knew how to spin a yarn. She knew they had a long way to go in the communication department, but already she could see major changes in their relationship. Walls were being abolished and trust was being built. It was everything she had hoped for and more. When Spencer asked for another story, William grinned at his wife before starting.

"Once upon a time, there was a small kingdom in a faraway land. In a big castle was a beautiful princess. She was pretty, funny, and very smart. But sometimes she saw or heard things that other people couldn't. Scared of having their reputation in jeopardy, the King and Queen locked the princess away in a tower in the Woods. One day, a lost knight found the princess' tower as he wandered through the forest. He met the princess and they quickly fell in love. They decided to run away together. Before they could, a monster came and tore through the woods. The knight sent the princess back to the tower and battled him himself. When he won, he and the princess went back to her kingdom, where they threw a big celebration in honor of her return. The knight and princess were soon married, and took over as the new king and queen of the land. They even had a baby of their own together- A little prince. And they lived happily ever after. The end."

Diana watched her husband with a smile and put her hand in his. Spencer was grinning ear to ear at the end of the fairytale.

"Pretty." He commented. William looked at his wife with pride.

"Yes she is." They shared a kiss.

By the end of the story it was getting close to two in the afternoon. They had lunch together in Diana's room, talking about inconsequential things and just enjoying their time together. Diana slipped away into a hallucination for about an hour, but came to quickly with her husband and son beside her.

Spencer cuddled with his mother while she was hallucinating, sucking on his pacifier for comfort. William watched them with sad eyes. He hated seeing the effects her disease had on their family. Spencer waited until she was lucid again to play on his own, with William and Diana watching him proudly.

All too soon, they had to leave, but Spencer did not despair. Daddy had promised that they would come back tomorrow. As new as trusting his father was, he knew when he was being lied to, and Daddy wasn't lying. He went to bed early, eager to see Mommy again. When he got up Daddy fed him breakfast and helped him get ready before they sped off to go to the Sanitarium.


	4. Naps

Spencer loved being a baby. He got constant attention and affection from both of his parents and never had to worry about the stresses of work. He liked it when Mommy fed him his lunch or when Daddy changed his diaper. It made him feel safe and cared for. He liked to play with baby toys, too. He loved stacking blocks or Legos or even just playing with a few stuffed animals. It was comforting. He sat on the floor with his legs in a V shape, playing with a ball that jingled. He giggled as it tinkled and rolled it around while his parents kept vigil over their son.

They smiled as he clapped his hands in excitement at the sound and watched as he crawled over to a Lego structure he'd been working on and kept building. They shared a look, promising one another through eye contact that they would discuss a few things later. Spencer stopped playing abruptly, frowning.

"What's the matter, baby?" Diana asked.

"Mommy, I make a potty." He looked up at her with big eyes.

"Well then, let's get you clean." She changed him quickly and then let him play again. He furrowed his brow in concentration as he started building a tower with his blocks. After another hour had passed, Diana saw Spencer trying to stifle a yawn. She got up (to William's silent protest) and went over to her son, kneeling down to his level.

"I think somebody needs a nap." She said in her sing-song voice. He looked up at her with pleading eyes.

"No nappy, Mommy." Even as he said the words he couldn't stop the yawn that escaped him.

"It's nap time for you, baby." She picked him up, much to his protest.

"No!" He whined, petulantly crossing his arms. He would have stomped his foot if it wasn't off the ground already. Diana looked at him patiently. Like she was waiting for him to realize that no one was indulging his tantrum. She laid him down in bed, and he struggled to break free of the sheets. She kissed his forehead as he continued his fit. She sat beside him and put his pacifier in his mouth to calm him down. Once he stopped struggling, she told him a story. After a few more minutes, he was asleep.

Diana moved to sit in her husband's lap. Her mind was going a million miles an hour with the questions in her head.

"I'm worried." She whispered, quietly. He wrapped his arms around her.

"About?"

"Spencer didn't realize that he was wet."

"I'm sure it's nothing. He's known every other time, hasn't he?"

She pursed her lips. "It seems that he never notices when he's gone after he wakes up."

"Isn't that normal? Isn't it safe to assume that he'll always be wet when he gets up?"

She bit her lip and bowed her head. "Well..."

He lifted her eyes to meet his. "Let's just take this one step at a time. Don't worry about it until he does. Okay?"

She nodded, not trusting her voice. She leaned her head on the stronghold of his chest. She loved him so much. How she ever got on without him was a complete mystery to her. They whispered quietly to each other about more intimate things and started sharing chaste kisses, which lead up to more passionate ones. They likely would have gone much further had they not been in a room with their sleeping son.

Spencer was down for the count. About two hours into his nap, Diana decided to wake him up so that he wouldn't put up a fight at bedtime tonight. She gently shook his shoulder.

"Spencer? It's time to wake up, sweetheart."

Spencer whimpered. "No." It was a pitiful sound that broke Diana's heart.

"Yes. Come on, it's time to get up."

"I don't wanna, Mommy." He snuggled back into bed. He had woken up far too early this morning and he wanted to sleep. Diana looked at him with pity. Guilt came with the challenge of parenthood, but she always knew what was best for her child.

"I know, but it's time to get changed." She picked him up as he locked his arms around her neck. Spencer absently sucked on his pacifier as she changed him. He stretched out on the floor until she picked him up.

"Mommy?" Spencer asked, curiously.

"Hmm?"

"I want my plushie."

"Did Jeff come with you?"

"Daddy has him."

"Let's go get him, then."

William, hearing their conversation, already had Jeff sitting on his lap. Spencer's eyes lit up when he saw his plushie and eagerly reached out for it. William handed him his bear and he squeezed it happily. Diana set him on the floor and watched him interact with his favorite bear. He had his bear help him build a new tower with his blocks and talked with him like he was his best friend.

Not long after, it was time for dinner. Diana leapt at the chance to feed him, knowing she wouldn't be able to again until next weekend. He sat there, clutching his blanket in one hand as he ate. After he ate his dinner, Spencer was given a bottle by his father. He cuddled with both of his parents, relishing in their affection. Together, they played games as a family for hours on end. They encouraged his imagination, played board games with him, and cared for him together. It reinforced the new structure of their family.

When the clock struck nine, they had to leave. Spencer had one long cuddle with his mother, and let her shower him with kisses before he finally left with a heavy heart.

When they arrived home, William took the time to bathe his son before helping him into his pajamas and sat him in his lap in the rocking chair. After reading him a story, he tucked him into his crib with his blanket and bear and flicked off the lights so his son could fall asleep.


	5. Nightmares

A loud shriek woke William up from a dead sleep. His mind was bogged by his need for sleep, but one thought broke through the haze.

Spencer.

He leapt from his bed and ran to the nursery, flipping on the light to his son screaming and crying while asleep. He leapt toward his son and shook his shoulder briskly. Spencer's eyes snapped open and he gasped, stating to pant. As he looked around, his breathing began to slow as he tried to reorient himself. It still didn't make his crying stop. William picked up his son and settled into the rocking chair.

"What's the matter, buddy?" His voice was soft and gentle. For a few minutes, Spencer couldn't speak. He sucked on his pacifier until he was calm enough to talk.

"Daddy..." Came the sobbed whisper.

"What is it?" William pressed again.

"I had a bad dream." He said it meekly, afraid of his father's reaction. William's fear dissipated at once. This was something he could handle.

"What was your dream about?" His tone was comforting and indulgent. Spencer was still struggling to even out his breathing, but still flinched at the question. A few more tears leaked from his eyes. William quickly changed the subject.

"Try thinking of happy things." He suggested. Spencer considered it for a moment and nodded, hugging his bear and sucking harder on his pacifier, clearly frightened. His protective side took over and he scooted Spencer closer to him, running his fingers through his hair.

"Do you want your bottle?" He asked, hoping to calm him down further. Spencer nodded silently in relief. William set him on the kitchen counter and fixed him a bottle of warm milk. He was still crying, but not as steadily.

"I want Mommy." He sniffled. William sighed sympathetically and hugged his son, much to Spencer's surprise.

"I know. I miss her, too." He handed his son the bottle and then decided to do a diaper check when they reached the nursery. Sure enough, he was soaked. He finished changing his son just as Spencer finished his bottle. He happily stuck his pacifier back into his mouth and began to suck as Daddy rocked him slowly in the chair. Very quickly, he had fallen back asleep. After a little while longer he put Spencer back into his crib before heading off to his own bed for some well deserved sleep.

Much to his dismay, William woke up very early the next morning. He peered into his son's room and was happy to see him fast asleep. He gently closed the door and went into the living room. He made himself a cup of tea and watched the sun turn the sky from a rosy pink to a baby blue. He sighed to himself. It had been a very long night for both him and his son. After his tea he went back to his room to shower and dress for the day. Then he went into the kitchen and started making breakfast for his son and himself. As he finished plating the scrambled eggs, he turned off the stove burner and went to wake up his son.

It was five-thirty in the morning, and William quietly opened the door and tiptoed in. He walked over to the crib and gently shook his son's shoulder.

"Morning, buddy. It's time to get up."

Spencer moaned behind his pacifier. "No."

"I know, but breakfast is ready." Spencer pouted but didn't say anything. William lowered the crib bar and picked up his son, settling him into his high chair. He fed him while he fed himself, and then cleaned up while Spencer picked out his clothes for work. After that William ran a bath for his son and bathed him while he played with bath toys. After helping his son dress, he locked up the nursery, gathered his things, and then they both parted ways to go to their respective workplaces.

This was the first real Monday that Spencer would spend in his new house. He and his father had practiced this morning routine Many times before during the day so that it would be easier to do in the morning. Everything had gone flawlessly and both of them felt very good about it.

As Spencer headed to his desk that morning, he was filled with an uncharacteristic amount of optimism. Daddy had stayed with him and made him feel better after his bad dream. He really was trying to mend their relationship as much as possible. It made him feel so much safer and loved. He poured himself a cup of coffee (Daddy wouldn't let him have it at home. He said that it had too much Caffeine, and that that was bad for little boys like himself.) before gathering with the rest of his teammates in the conference room. The police department in Napa, California had enlisted the help of the BAU team after four bodies turned up in the short timespan of three weeks.

After his parents reunited in the eyes of God, Spencer felt compelled to tell his teammates more about his unusual lifestyle. That way, if (God forbid) something happened to him that was very traumatic, frightening, or damaging, his unusual reaction could be explained. Garcia, of course, had been the first to jump on board. With the others it had taken a little more time, but they quickly grew to love his babyish side just as much as his normal one. They had even been granted the honor of being his aunts and uncles. Now, three months later, they never batted an eye when he behaved like an infant. As long as he kept it out of the workplace.

Now, as they boarded a plane to their next crime scene that was clear across the country, they had finished analyzing all of their preliminary evidence and had a few hours to kill. Spencer leaned his head on the window and stuck his thumb in his mouth, instantly relaxing. Still exhausted from his morning escapade, he fell happily into a deep sleep.


	6. The Call

Spencer woke to the sound of his phone ringing.

"Hello?" He asked, words slurring as he talked behind his thumb. How long had he been asleep for?

"Spencer?"

The voice broke through the haze immediately.

"Mommy?" He shot straight up in his seat. The word was a panicked sound, instantly garnering the attention of the team. Unconsciously, he started whimpering, frightened of why she would be contacting him during work.

"Spencer, listen to me." She pressed urgently, "You have to get me out of here. They're going to experiment on me and dissect me like a frog!" She hissed.

A few tears fell down his cheeks as he answered her.

"I can't." His voice was choked with emotion. There was a momentary pause before all hell was released.

Diana shrieked at him, words that no child should ever hear from their mother. It was like she was trying to shoot him with her words. In that case, she was an excellent shot. He somehow forced the words "I'm sorry" out before he hung up. Aware of the breakdown coming on fast, he went to the bathroom, sat down and cried desperately. He wanted to talk to Daddy, but knew Daddy was working. He didn't want to interrupt.

A knock came at the door.

"Reid, you okay man?" It was Derek Morgan.

Trying to calm himself down from hyperventilating, he managed a grunt, then a "yes".

Morgan knew he was lying, but decided to leave him be for the time being.

Spencer stuck his thumb in his mouth, trying to calm down. The guilt over hanging up on his own Mother was agony. After ten minutes he was able to think straight again. It wasn't until then that he realized that he had used his diaper and was in need of a change. It made him feel... strange. If only because he had used his diaper with a toilet right there. He was an FBI agent- surely using the big boy potty was something he could do. And yet there he sat in his wet diaper, bawling as if he were a year old. He got up and made his way to his bag, which he'd left in his seat after his Mommy's tirade, and went to change himself. When he finished, he had finally stopped crying. He left a message on his Daddy's cell phone before finally going back out to face his team.

They all looked at him with sympathy. It made him feel sad, but then again he was fairly certain that he would remain that way until Mommy called to say sorry (like she had several times before.) or Daddy called to comfort him. Until then he was made of glass- so fragile and breakable that if one more bad thing happened he was terrified that he might shatter into a million pieces. He didn't like being so vulnerable, but he knew that's the way he would remain until someone close to him tried to soothe him.

He glanced at his watch. He had only been asleep for an hour or so. He still had plenty of time to himself. It was during times like this that he wished Jack were small enough to fit in his messenger bag. He could use a good cuddle right now. Any distraction at all would be a welcome change. Instead he sat back in his seat, sucking his thumb sadly. He wanted his real Mommy- the one who gave him kisses and chased the bad dreams away. The one who changed, fed, and cuddled him all the time. He hated her schizophrenia with every fiber of his being because of days like today when Mommy unintentionally hurt his feelings and made him feel bad about himself. He knew it made her feel guilty too, which only added to the torment. It was the worst torture she could ever possibly endure.

It was two hours later when his phone rang again. He answered it with trepidation. "Hello?"

"Hi, baby." He stiffened instantly, but tried to soothe himself. This was the call he'd been hoping for. Even so, he was still wary of his mother in that point in time.

"Hi, Momma."

Diana winced. She could see how deeply she had hurt him just by his replacement of "Momma" instead of his usual "Mommy". Guilt swamped her chest until she thought she might drown in it.

"I'm so sorry about earlier. You know I didn't mean any of those things that I said. You're my whole world, baby. You know I would never hurt you on purpose."

"I know." Came the hollow reply.

She sighed sadly. "Can you forgive me?"

"Yes."

The word was automatic, and it broke her heart.

"I love you very much, sweetheart. Never forget that, okay?"

"Okay. Bye, Mommy."

Finally, she smiled. "Bye, baby."

He hung up.

They still had a good two hours of travel time left, so Spencer Just kept to himself, sucking his thumb while reading a new book, even though his mind was not even focused on the book in his lap. He wasn't really sure how he felt. He knew he should feel comforted by his mother's apology, yet he felt so numb inside. He was still upset about what she had said earlier, even though he knew she didn't mean it. It didn't take the sting away from her words. He sat very still for a long time while his other teammates were busy reading, listening to music, playing on their phones, and so on.

When they finally landed at the airport, Spencer knew that it was time for him to pack up all his babyish desires and worries and put all his energy and focus on the case. He shoved all of those feelings into an imaginary box, put the box in a closet, and then locked it up tightly. He would revisit them later if he had the time. Until then, he had to go on as if none of that had ever happened.


	7. Comfort

It wasn't until it was noon in Virginia that Spencer got the call he'd been anticipating. Luckily, the team had taken a break for lunch, and Spencer moved to the front of the restaurant where they were dining to take the call.

"Hello?"

"Spencer?"

"Hi, Daddy."

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, I think..."

"Did you talk to Mommy yet?"

"Yes."

"And?"

"She said she was sorry."

"But...?" He knew by Spencer's tone that there was more to it than that.

"But what she said still hurts."

"I know." His voice was thick with sadness for his son.

"I miss you." The words broke William's heart.

"I miss you too, buddy."

They talked for a little while longer before Spencer had to go. In a way, he felt lucky. The current case proved more than distracting from the mornings earlier tiff, but his fears centered on what would happen when there was no distraction. During the day he was fine, but that night his thoughts took a dark turn. As he lay in bed, thumb in his mouth as he stared at the ceiling, he wondered if he would ever be able to learn not to take his Mother's episodes seriously. It wasn't like she meant for it to happen. It was just hard to see her sanity being snatched away at any given time. Slowly, hoping for a better tomorrow, he succumbed to the gentle embrace of sleep.

The case was solved within three days. All of the exhausted BAU agents boarded the plane. It was nine PM in California, which meant it was midnight in Virginia. Exhausted, Spencer pulled out his phone and dialed the familiar number.

"Hello?" Came the sleepy reply.

"Daddy?"

"Spencer? What is it? What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I just wanted to tell you that I'm on my way home."

"Okay."

"Can you pick me up and take me home?"

"Sure. Just call me when you get here."

"Okay. Bye, Daddy."

"Bye, buddy."

With that, father and son fell into an exhausted sleep.

Five hours was much too short a sleep time for Spencer, but he groggily got up from his seat and called his father again. William had already been up for a few minutes getting ready for work when his son called. He drove to the BAU office and picked up a sleepy Spencer, who fell asleep on the car ride home. When he pulled into the driveway, William gently shook his shoulder.

"Spencer, it's time to get up."

"No..." Spencer murmured from behind his thumb.

"Yes. Come on now, let's get going."

"Carry me?"

William sighed and went around to the passengers side to pick up his sleeping son. He carried him inside and unlocked the door to the nursery. He stripped Spencer of all his clothing except his diaper, then went into the bathroom to start a bath for him.

"Spencer, it's bath time. I need you to sit up straight. Can you do that for me?"

Spencer nodded, too exhausted to do much else.

William popped a pacifier into his son's mouth, then helped him into the tub. After washing his hair and body, he dried his son off and helped him into a warm pair of footed pajamas before settling him in his crib. Spencer smiled a tiny bit in his sleep as the crib bar went up and William flicked off the nursery light.

Spencer woke up several hours later. He stretched out his arms and looked around. Jeff was nestled under his arm and he was home safe in his crib. He realized then that he was in a pair of footie pajamas. He vaguely remembered Daddy dressing him. He looked over and saw a white piece of paper resting against the bars of the crib, and opened it. It was a note.

_Dear Spencer,_

_I didn't want to wake you but I had to go to work a little early. I should be home in time for dinner. There's some mashed fruit in the fridge for breakfast and macaroni and cheese for lunch. Be a good boy while I'm gone._

_Love,  
Daddy_

Spencer sighed and let himself out of his crib. It was going to be a long, lonely day. He changed himself before eating the breakfast his father had left him. When he was done he wasn't really sure what to do. This was his first real day in the house by himself. He went to the living room and turned on the TV, mindlessly flipping through channels out of boredom. Finding no solace in that, he shut it off and crawled back to the nursery, going over to his toy chest and pulling out a few stuffed animals to play with. He sat on the floor with his plush friends, positively enthralled and delighted with his new game.

It wasn't until an hour later that he suddenly stopped playing as a familiar need made itself known. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He tried to unzip his pajamas, but couldn't get it down past his shoulder blades. He would have undone the back flap, but his diaper covered it. He started whimpering as the feeling got stronger and stronger with every second until it was too much to bear. Face scarlett with embarrassment, he messed himself. True, it had happened before, but never when he couldn't do anything about. Either someone else had been there to change him or he had been able to change himself. He cried for a good ten minutes before searching for a way to get out of his dirty diaper. Salvation came in the form of a coat hanger, which he hooked onto the zipper of his pajamas and pulled down with his other hand at the top of the zipper. When he was at last in a clean diaper he only felt a deep sense of relief. He played for a few more hours before fixing himself a bottle.

As he drank he felt himself relax more and more, not knowing that he was wetting himself in the process. When the bottle was gone, he let it roll onto the floor and put his pacifier into his mouth, quickly and happily falling asleep.


	8. Break

Spencer awoke on the floor using his beloved bear Jeff as a pillow. He looked around the room, disoriented. What had happened? Then he saw his bottle and remembered. Oh yes. He had fallen asleep on the floor. He wiped off the side of his face with his sleeve and crawled over to the stuffed animal with a mirror in its paws.

He looked okay. His cheek had the imprint of his teddy's fur and was a little red, but that was about it. Emotionally He felt fine. He smiled at himself for a second, then went to play with his toys.

It wasn't until an hour or so later that the hallucination began.

It was a terrifyingly dark place. Faintly lit lanterns lined the rock walls, just barely making a dent in the thick and gloomy darkness that seemed to engulf the tunnel. He looked around, hoping to see a familiar face, but no such luck was with him. He was alone. Totally alone.

He began whimpering, an ominous foreboding washing over him as he looked. When he tried to move, he realized that he was chained to a wall. He tried to yank his way free, seeing that the chains were old and rusted, but it was no use.

"Mommy? Daddy?" He called, extremely frightened. Even though he knew they weren't there a part of him dared to hope otherwise. Things were getting very scary very fast, and Spencer couldn't help shrinking back as his terror took hold.

A laugh, dark and sinister, echoed through the cave.

"Who's there?" He called, putting a stoic mask on his face. "Show yourself!"

Out of nowhere, a hand slapped him upside the head. Instinct led him to grip the reddened appendage, but he was again reminded of his bindings. His wrists were being rubbed raw. He stifled the sob that threatened to come from his mouth.

"Who are you?" He asked. He couldn't tell that he was shaking.

A laugh was what he got in reply.

The assailant remained faceless, wearing a black ski mask. He only got slapped and pinched.

When William finally got home, he heard Spencer screech. He dropped his briefcase in the living room and ran toward the sound. He saw his son laying on the floor, clearly hallucinating as his face was red with unshed tears.

Shit.

He pulled his cell phone from his pocket and speed dialed his wife. The seconds seemed like eternity as he waited for her to get on the line.

"Hello?"

"Honey?"

Diana instantly recognized the tone in his voice.

"What is it? What's wrong?"

"Spencer's hallucinating."

She exhaled sadly. "How bad is it?"

"I got home to him screaming."

Diana closed her eyes as the full impact of What was happening hit her.

"Is he thrashing?"

"No. He's only moving slightly."

Spencer cried out again, and Diana could hear it through the phone. It pierced her heart like a spear. All she wanted was to go and rock her baby, but she was confined to the sanitarium. It was devastating.

"What do I do?" He asked.

"Sit below him and squeeze his hand."

He did. Spencer's eyes, although glazed over, calmed at the familiar action. Very slowly, reality began seeping into Spencer's conscience again. When he was able to see again, he saw Daddy sitting with him on the floor. He looked around in confusion.

"Daddy?" He asked, still shaken up from his hallucination.

"It's okay, Spencer. It wasn't real." He pulled his son into a hug. He could feel his son's tears staining his shirt and he started to sob. William held his son a bit awkwardly. He was still getting used to the physical closeness that his son had grown accustomed to. However, any discomfort became secondary as he watched Spencer cry. Seeing him so broken was so disturbing that he couldn't bring himself to care about anything else. He forgot that Diana was still on the other line until she spoke.

"Put me on speaker."

He followed her instruction without question.

"Spencer?" She said in her sing-song voice. He took his face out from his father's shirt, sobbing and taking gasping breaths.

"Mommy?"

"Hi baby. Are you okay?"

He made a choked noise that clearly demonstrated that he wasn't. William held him a little tighter. Diana would have given all she had to have been able to hold him in that moment. When she couldn't think of anything to say, she just sang to him like she had when he was a baby. It calmed him enough so that his breathing was no longer uneven. He was still crying, but only slightly. William was pleased.

"Do you feel better?" He asked gently. Spencer nodded, then took the phone from its place on the floor.

"I miss you, Mommy." It was the truth. All he wanted was a cuddle with her.

"I miss you too, sweetheart. I have to go now, but be good for Daddy for me."

"I will."

"Goodbye baby."

"Bye bye Mommy."

By the end of the call, Spencer had stopped crying and calmed down completely. He sat with his father, quiet for a few minutes.

"Are you hungry, buddy?"

Spencer nodded and followed his Daddy to the kitchen. They didn't speak much, mostly out of habit, but when they did it there was gravity to every word. After a small dessert they watched a little TV before William decided it was time for his son to go to bed. Spencer pouted, but didn't argue since his earlier episode had left him exhausted. He still played with his bath toys in the tub, but wasn't really into it like he would have been. Daddy dressed him in his diaper and pajamas, then sat him on his lap in the rocking chair so that he could read him a story while Spencer suckled on a bottle of warm milk. When all was said and done, William placed his son in his crib while Spencer smiled sleepily at him.

"Goodnight, Spencer."

"Goodnight, Daddy."


	9. Birthday: Part One

Things went smoothly those first weeks after the terrifying hallucination had passed. For a small amount of time all was as it should be. There was, however, an event looming on the horizon that Diana and William had been meticulously planning for months.

Spencer's birthday.

When the big day came, they both were well prepared.

William woke his son up by singing "Happy Birthday". Spencer opened his eyes blearily,

"Da da?" He asked, confused.

"Happy birthday, buddy." William swept his son into his arms and went to change him. "We have a big day ahead of us."

After being changed, Spencer was carried to his highchair to eat a breakfast of pancakes, yogurt, and mashed fruit. All of his favorite breakfast foods. When breakfast was done, William let his son go watch cartoons for an hour so that he could get ready. Once he was dressed and showered, William started running a bath for his son, who came in not long after the water started flowing. William was very mindful when bathing his son. He kept a hand over his son's eyes so that no soap would get into them, made sure the water was just right, and made sure his son had all of his favorite bath toys in the tub.

When the bath was over, William wasted no time in helping his son dress. After that was finished William packed a bag of Spencer's favorite things before loading them and him into the car. He did not tell his son where they were going, although he had a hunch that the sanitarium was on their itinerary for the day. He was proven correct as they pulled into the lot. He walked in while Daddy signed them in and then made a mad dash for his mother's room.

"Mommy!" Came the joyous cry when he was wrapped in her warm embrace.

"Hello my big birthday boy!" She crooned, kissing his cheek and bouncing him on her lap. "How's my baby today? Have you been a good boy for Daddy?"

Spencer nodded proudly, snuggling up to his mother. He always found comfort in her scent. Diana was more than happy to reciprocate. William came in carrying the diaper bag (which he set at Diana's feet) and kissed his wife while Spencer had a good cuddle with her. She sang him a song in her pretty tinkling voice and it soothed him almost as easily as his favorite pacifier. When it was over, she sat there stroking his hair.

"Does my baby boy want his blankie?" She cooed. He nodded eagerly as it was handed to him and nuzzled it gently. She handed him his bear, knowing that they were often a team, and watched Spencer squeeze it tightly. It made Diana smile. He was such a happy and generally well adjusted kid that she often times wondered how she was blessed to have him as her child. Not to say that he wasn't prone to the occasional tantrum- because he was- but they were so rare and almost never lasted longer than ten minutes. It was moments like these that made her proud to be a mother. To accentuate the point, she gently kissed his forehead, and received a glittering smile in return. It was heartwarming. Unconsciously, Spencer started sucking his thumb. Diana immediately replaced it with a pacifier. Spencer did not argue with her. After a few minutes more, she went to change him into something more comfortable. A white shirt and overalls seemed like a good fit to her. Babyish yet unsuspecting. After that she settled him on the floor to play with his toys. Diana looked at William with a meaningful glance and he expertly moved out of the room without attracting his son's interest. Diana watched him, smiling. Their little boy was going to have the best birthday ever! William retuned five minutes later with the colorfully wrapped box.

"Spencer," Diana crooned sweetly, "do you want to open your present, sweetheart?"

Spencer whipped around and nodded eagerly, not knowing what to expect. He opened the card and was pleased to see it was a dinosaur card. It was signed Mommy and Daddy. Just seeing their signatures side by side made him a little teary. He tore through the wrapping paper and opened the box. With a gleeful gasp his eyes lit up. It was full of children's books. Now he had more books to put on his shelf at home! He leapt into their arms.

"Tank You, Mommy. Tank You, Daddy."

"You're welcome." They replied in unison.

Although Spencer was tempted to play with his new books, he went back to stacking his blocks one by one. He could have a story later. He became so engrossed in his playing that he didn't notice when his diaper leaked. Diana, however, was quick to pick up on it. She let Spencer stack one more block, then lifted him up to change his diaper, despite his miffed protests. Once he was clean, Diana put him right where he was before and watched him play with her husband by her side.

Lunch happened about two hours later. When Spencer finished it was very clear to Diana that he was tired and needed a nap.

"Spencer," she said in her sing song voice, "it's time for beddy-bye." Perhaps it was her own unwillingness to let her son grow up that led her to use some of the most degrading baby talk there was. Either way, Spencer didn't care.

"No."

"Yes. Come up on the bed so Mommy can read her birthday boy a story."

Spencer was tempted, but held his ground. "No."

"Do you want to go to timeout?" Diana asked evenly. Spencer shook his head, then started crying. He could fake cry brilliantly. The sound broke Diana's heart, but she did not waver from her course. She tucked her son in, read him a story, and fed him a bottle of warm milk before leaving the room. Within minutes, her precious baby had fallen asleep.


	10. Birthday: Part Two

**Review Please!**

Spencer woke up from his nap to the sound of his mother's soft humming. It was a gentle, good way to wake, he decided. He opened his heavy eyes to see his mother smiling down at him. He smiled back out of habit. His head was still too foggy to realize what he was doing. Diana leaned down and kissed her son's forehead.

"Did you sleep well?" She asked, picking him up and taking him to the bathroom for a change. He nodded, rubbing his eyes.

"Good." She picked him up and nuzzled him gently. He grinned up at her.

"What do you want to do now, sweetheart?" She asked, brushing a lock of hair behind his ear. Spencer shrugged.

"Play?" He asked. Diana smiled.

"Sure, baby. It's your day." He grinned, and she set him down on the floor to play. She looked over to her husband who was sitting on the couch in yet another silent signal. He nodded and stepped outside to make a few calls. Diana sat down on the couch, watching her baby play. Every single move he made fascinated her, just as he had when he was born. She had no idea how time passed so quickly, but suddenly William was back at her side, wrapping his arm around her waist. He kissed her cheek and she laughed jovially. Spencer looked up at his parents. Smiling. It was incredible to have witnessed their falling in love all over Again, and to watch them interact with one another.

They grinned back at him. He leaned back onto the sofa. Diana ruffled his hair affectionately. He laid his head in her lap, clutching his favorite bear to his chest. He picked up the pacifier that was pinned to his shirt and started sucking on it contentedly. Diana moved to sit with him.

"Spencer?" He looked up at her, and she smiled. "Do you want to do a puzzle?"

He grinned and nodded. She handed him a box that had a one hundred piece puzzle inside. As he solved it quickly, she looked up at the clock. It was almost time for his special surprise. When he finished, it was a bridge with a small family of ducks beneath it. He looked up at his mother, who was beaming down at him, eyes full of love and compassion.

"Are you ready for dinner, sweetheart?"

He nodded happily. Diana plucked him up onto her hip. William opened the door.

"Surprise!"

Spencer was flabbergasted. There stood all of his friends, Rossi holding a large pot, Garcia holding a birthday cake, and the others carrying a card and presents. His head whipped around to his mother, who was gauging his reaction. His smile grew and he Hugged her tightly, laughing. William watched the two of them proudly. Diana set him down and watched him happily hug his friends. They all gathered in Diana's room for a communal dinner of homemade pasta made by Rossi, and a birthday cake made by Garcia. Spencer was elated. Cocooned in the bosom of his family and friends, he was joyful, playful, and completely himself. It couldn't have been more perfect. Diana sat next to her husband, jubilant because her son was happy. That was all she ever wanted for him.

After finishing the pasta, it was time for cake. They all sang "Happy Birthday" to Spencer, who happily blew out his candles and made his special secret wish that nobody would ever know. Mommy cut him his piece before serving the rest of the team and finally her husband and herself. Spencer was chatting away, much to William and Diana's delight. They exchanged several meaningful glances as they watched their son interact with his friends.

After a brief period of cleaning, the time had come for Spencer to open his presents. While Spencer knew that his friends had brought him presents, he did not know that William and Diana had one last special gift for their son. They scooted in a bit closer to the throng of people so that they could see his reactions to his presents. He opened the card first. It was a card with pictures of bears on the front. On the inside, it read: Wishing you a BEARY great birthday! All the members of the BAU had signed it. He grinned and thanked them before gleefully ripping through the wrapping paper. His face lit up even more (How that was possible, Diana would never know.) when he pulled out several books. It was an even split of children's books and adult books. He grinned up at JJ.

"Henry loved a few of those books, so I thought you might appreciate them too."

He gave her a hug, then sat back down to open the next present. Penelope handed him two small boxes. When he opened them, he squeaked happily. He pulled out the contents and whirled around to show his mother.

"Mommy, look! Jeff has clothes now!" A tiny white T-Shirt and leather jacket were in his hands.

Diana smiled and looked at Garcia, a thankful gleam in her eyes. "So I see. How about I get him dressed while you open your presents?" Spencer nodded eagerly and handed her his bear.

He gave Garcia a big hug, then moved on to the next gift. Derek Morgan gave his friend a subscription to the nut of the month club (partly a joke between the two of them about how their work made people nuts), while Rossi gave him a travel chess set with magnetic pawns so they would stay on the board. Prentiss got him a few books on language, and Hotch gave him a gleaming new watch. He loved every single thing he got. Just when he thought it was over, Mommy tapped him on the shoulder.

"We have one last present for you, baby."

Diana handed him a tiny box, and he looked at it, cocking his head to the side in curiosity. He opened it to reveal an index card. Squinting, he read the message inscribed on it, and his eyes widened in shock. He looked up at his parents, afraid of it being a lie.

"Really? You mean it?" They nodded, and he jumped up to hug them in excitement. It was the best present he could ever receive. In bright blue letters on the card were the words "Mommy's coming home."

Diana held her son close and whispered into his ear, "Happy Birthday, sweetheart."


	11. Homecoming

**Author's Note: Okay, so this story is definitely not over because I just cranked out three chapters. On with the show! **

Diana signed the document with a flourish. She stood up and shook her psychiatrists' hand.

"Congratulations, Diana."

"Thank you, Dr. V. For all of your help. I couldn't have gotten this far without you." He nodded in acknowledgement of her flattery.

Smiling, she took her husband's arm. He was carrying her last two suitcases and walked her to the car. He gallantly opened her door before tossing the bags into the trunk. He hopped into the drivers seat and made his way back to his home. Diana felt excitement rush through her at the prospect of seeing the house for the first time in person. She'd only seen it otherwise through pictures. It was just a reminder that all of this was real. It wasn't a delusion caused by her Schizophrenia, and that knowledge was sweet and beautiful.

When they pulled up to the house, her first thought was that the paint looked just a shade too dark to really fit in with the rest of the neighborhood. She smiled. It was fitting, she supposed. Their family was probably as off as one could be while still maintaining their supportive dynamic. Inwardly, she smirked. Sometimes she amazed herself by her own wit. It was only then that she saw William glancing anxiously at him, clearly expecting a reaction. She smiled at him and held his hand.

"It's beautiful."

Diana carried the first suitcase and opened the door while William took the next two. She set her bag down by the door and looked around. It was brighter and more open than she had anticipated, though that could just be because what she could see of the place was painted white. There was a door on her left that led to the garage. The kitchen was closest to the door on her right side. It seemed small, but it looked pretty. The dining room table was directly across from it on her left. She noted with a smile that Spencer's high chair was already in place. To the left of the kitchen was the living room. While the kitchen and dining room were tiled, the living room was covered in a tan shag carpeting. There was a large flat screen TV and two leather couches. On the furthermost wall in the house was a sliding glass door that went to the backyard. She could see the green grass from her current position in the house. Had she gone out back, she would have seen a small table with three chairs on it under the porch, and a cushioned swing with its own awning. Behind the living room couches was a hallway. The first door on the left was the nursery. The door next to it was the bathroom. The furthest door down was Spencer's "room" in case of company. The door closest to that on the right was the master bedroom, and the one beside it was the laundry room.

Diana picked up her suitcase and quietly made her way to the master bedroom. It was still very early in the morning, and she knew Spencer was still asleep. When she went inside, she looked around. The walls were beige and unexciting. The California king size bed had its tan headboard resting against the left wall. It was covered in all white with large fluffy pillows and a goose down-filled comforter. There were two matching small beside tables, both holding a lamp and a framed picture. With a small drawer beneath it. The one on the left harbored a digital clock. The wall opposite the door held two large windows, both decorated with curtains and several photos, and a wooden desk with a matching chair. The desk top held a laptop, several sheets of white paper, a coffee mug full of pens, and a silver desk lamp. To the left of it was a large mahogany six-shelf bookshelf. William had already cleared three rows for her books, as he had already filled the other three with his own selections. Across from the bed were two sets of five drawers for clothing. In the left corner of the room was a cushioned chair and matching ottoman. On the right of the drawers was the door to the master bathroom, which held a large spa-like bathtub and separate shower on the right wall, and toilet next to double sinks on the left. At the furthest wall were two double doors that led to a huge walk-in closet. It was nice, she decided. It actually reminded her of a hotel. She grabbed her suitcase and set it on the bed.

Time to start unpacking.

For about two hours Diana unpacked her life into her new room. There was, however, one last thing that she needed to do before her work was done. She went down the hall to Spencer's "room" and opened the door. There was only a bed and a closet. It was devoid of any originality, which was good. The three of them had spent quite a while discussing what to do with it, and they had finally come to a consensus. This room would be the hallucination room. If one of them started to hallucinate they would go into the room so that they couldn't hurt themselves or anybody else. They would be let out when the hallucination had passed. The worst that could happen were pillows being flung against bare walls and sheets being strewn everywhere. It was a rather genius solution to their problem.

When she was satisfied, she pulled her husband from answering an email so that they could go wake their son together. William led her by the hand and quietly opened the door. Diana took a moment to fully appreciate the nursery that she had helped him design. It was the first time she was seeing it from somewhere other than pictures. Her eyes locked on the crib, and on the sleeping form of her son, who was clothed in red footed pajamas and was cuddling with his favorite teddy bear. She couldn't help the large grin that stretched across her face. She and William shared a look, then nodded in silent communication. He lowered the side bar of the crib and gently shook his son's shoulder. Spencer groaned and opened his sleepy eyes. There was Daddy, standing over him and smiling.

"Okay buddy, it's time to get up."

"No..." He murmured from behind his pacifier, turning over to his side and shutting his eyes.

"Yes. It's a beautiful day and you can't spend it in bed." He saw Jeff lying on the other side of his son and picked him up. "Look at Jeff, he's all awake." Spencer's hands went looking for his beloved plushie.

"No, Jeff's sweeping with me." He opened his eyes to see his plushie above him, and reached up for him with one hand, using the other to rub his eyes.

"Come on, baby. You need to get up and start your day." Diana said, gently. At her voice, Spencer's eyes snapped open.

"Mommy?" He asked, wondering if he was dreaming. She nodded and held her hands out to him. He reached up to her excitedly and she settled him on her hip as he giggled happily. She kissed his forehead and took him over to the changing table.

"Did you sleep well, baby?"

He nodded, snuggling with his stuffed animal. He took his pacifier out.

"Jeff had a dream where he caught a bunch of fishies and made them race down the river!"

"Did he now? Well that sounds like a fun dream." Spencer nodded.

"Uh huh. He says that the biggest fishie won, but the littlest one almost beat him."

"How interesting. Were they all the same kind of fish or were they different?" Spencer tilted his head toward his bear like he was listening for an answer.

"They were the same. They were clown fish, like in Nemo."

Diana grinned. There were many movies that Spencer enjoyed, but Finding Nemo was one of his absolute favorites. When she had asked him why, he explained that he felt a lot different like Nemo, and that the movie still gave him hope that there were still people who cared about him as much as Marlin cared about his son. After that conversation, Diana had made sure that William found him Nemo-themed toys that he could play with in and out of the bathtub.

When she finished changing him, she settled him on her hip.

"How about we see what's for breakfast?"

Spencer nodded happily, and she shut and locked the nursery room door behind her.


	12. A Night Out

William was already making breakfast when Diana took her son out of the nursery, already dressed for the day. She settled him into his high chair and went to help her husband in the kitchen.

"Sit down, I've got breakfast today." He said. She grinned and kissed him.

"How did I get so lucky to have you?"

He smirked. "I think you have this the other way around."

She laughed and he kissed her. He loved that sound more than life itself.

Diana turned around and went over to her son, who was happily talking to his bear. She felt they had a Calvin-and-Hobbes type of relationship (which was fitting considering that Spencer had loved the books as a small child), although she was quite certain that her husband saw much more of it than she did- for now, at least. Soon, a plate of eggs was placed in front of Spencer, and Diana delighted in feeding her son. She noted that Jeff never left his side, a fact that she put into mental storage for the time being. She was wrestling with how Jeff might get dirty, and if he did, how she would have to wash him. The only reason why this disturbed her at all was that she knew how much he liked how Jeff smelled, and she didn't want to have to change that unless it was absolutely necessary.

Shortly after, her own plate was ready, and she altered between feeding herself and feeding her son. When Spencer was done with his breakfast, Diana sat him in the living room to watch TV while she ate breakfast with her husband for the first time in years. They made small talk, both occasionally glancing over at their son.

When William was certain his son was distracted, he spoke in a lower voice so that only his wife could hear.

"You know, I've been thinking. We should go out Tonight and celebrate your good health."

Diana smiled. "That would be nice, but we can't leave Spencer by himself."

"I've done it before." The look Diana gave him was one of shock, disappointment, and anger. William quickly floundered to change the subject. "We could find a babysitter."

"Who?" Diana asked, skeptically.

William hadn't considered that part yet. He sighed. "I hadn't thought that far ahead." Diana gave him a look, although this one was much less deadly. It was more annoyed than accusatory.

"Well... Who would be willing to babysit him?" Diana asked.

"He has friends."

"I know, but..."

"But?"

Diana felt frustrated and rubbed her arms. "But I just... It doesn't feel right." She couldn't explain it. It wasn't her paranoia either. It was... It was an unwillingness to let go of her son. It was one thing if William was there to watch him; He was Spencer's father. But someone else... It just seemed wrong.

She sighed. William put a hand on her shoulder. "What's bothering you?"

"I'm just afraid of letting go of him, I guess."

William smiled slightly. "Wouldn't it be good to prove that someone else could watch him, though? Just for a few hours?"

Diana bit her lip. "Well..."

He clasped her hand in his own. "It'll be fine. I promise."

Diana took a deep breath. "Okay. I trust you."

William smiled. "You'll have nothing to worry about."

That evening, Penelope Garcia drove to the Reid home to watch over her friend. Diana gave her both of their cell phone numbers, (William had surprised her with one later in the day) and a list of things to do if he started hallucinating, before kissing her son goodbye. William gave him a hug and they shared a look. He had patiently taken the time earlier that evening to remind Spencer that only immediate family members were allowed in the nursery. He nodded and made sure everything he could need was in Spencer's "room", which they had decorated sparsely to make it look somewhat lived in.

When Diana and William finally left, Penelope turned her attention to Spencer, who sat on the couch with his bear.

"Okay munchkin, what do you want to do?"

He smiled at her bubbly attitude. Then, he gave thought to her question.

"I don't know..." His mind raced through ideas, but none seemed quite right. He shrugged.

"We could build something, color, watch TV, anything you want."

He considered the idea and smiled shyly. "I like building."

She smiled. "Let's go, then."

For an hour, Spencer built a tower of Legos. He was trying to replicate the pentagon, but couldn't get it right. Garcia, seeing his frustration, knew a distraction was in order.

"How about we have a snack?" Spencer shrugged then got up. They went to the kitchen and Garcia looked at the fridge. When she spied a tube of cookie dough.

"How about we make cookies?" Spencer nodded excitedly. She got out the sheets and parchment paper and looked over to him.

"Ready to bake?" He nodded and started rolling out the dough.

Together, they baked twenty four chocolate chip cookies. After the cookies were done, they sat down and put on a movie. About halfway through, Spencer fell asleep.

At ten o'clock, Diana and William came back home. Diana was pleased to see Spencer curled up on the couch, fast asleep. She went over to her son and gently shook his shoulder.

"Spencer, wake up sweetheart." She rubbed circles on his back. He opened his eyes blearily and reached up to her, smiling.

"Mommy."

Diana laughed and picked him up. "Did you have fun today?"

Spencer nodded. "Auntie Penelope and I made cookies!"

She glanced over to the kitchen and saw the cookies on a plate. She grinned.

"Good. I'm glad." After thanking Penelope and paying her (not without some protest), Spencer said goodbye to her before she left for the evening.

Diana scooped a sleepy Spencer into her arms and ran him a warm bath. Both she and William bathed him, changed him, and got him into his favorite pajamas. Normally they would have read a story, but Spencer was too exhausted. William tucked his son into his crib and Diana kissed his forehead while slipping his pacifier between his lips and his bear under his arm. Smiling slightly, Spencer fell asleep while his parents walked hand in hand to their bedroom.


	13. United

**WARNING: There is sex in this chapter. **

**Author's Note: I am dying to know what you guys think of the story thus far. Please review!**

Diana changed into a long white nightgown with spaghetti straps and a sweetheart neckline. It made her feel decades younger than she was. She rubbed noxema onto her face before washing it away. After taking her nightly medication and brushing her teeth, she examined herself in the mirror.

Her first thought was that she was being ridiculous. William wouldn't care what she was wearing. So why did she suddenly feel so self conscious? Her face was wrinkled in places, but her eyes were still that same shade of blue. Her hair looked alright- maybe a little messy. She told herself that it was good enough and stepped out of the bathroom.

William was halfway through a crime thriller novel when he saw his wife. His jaw nearly hit the floor. Of course he always found her attractive, but tonight she looked ravishing. He shut his book hastily, forgetting to mark the page as he went up to her and ran his hands over her curves.

"You look stunning tonight, Diana." His voice was full of carnal appreciation. She smirked.

"Only for you, dear." She purred. He brushed a lock of hair behind her ear and trailed his finger down her cheek. Her eyes stayed locked on his as she stepped forward. He was quick to close the distance between their lips and kissed her. At first sweetly, then more aggressively. Conscious thought was lost as sensation became everything. They collapsed onto the bed together and started to roll around in the sheets. When William trailed kisses down her unsuspecting neck she gasped in pleasure. Likewise, when she whispered sayings of love into his ear in a foreign language, he was further turned on. Slowly, they began to build and build in anticipation as the delicious friction between them grew. Together they climaxed, their bodies exploding with years of unreleased passion. Diana had her head on her husband's chest as they both calmed down from the high. Diana lifted her face to study her husband. She loved his brown eyes and full lips, but she loved his strong jawline the most. It was one of the things that had first attracted her to him. Diana smirked as she remembered that day.

_It was an average day for Diana as she finished her cup of coffee and flung it into the trash. After finishing two papers for college, she decided that she'd earned a treat and went to a local book store for some new material to read. As she knelt on the ground and rooted through other possible choices besides the two she had, she brushed hands with a stranger.___

_"Sorry." She murmured, glancing up at him. When she got a good look at him, she stopped. He was skinny with mousy brown hair and a strong jawline. His eyes were a brown color that reminded her of chocolate with hints of caramel. He wasn't a model or anything, but he was definitely attractive to her. She blushed when she realized she'd noticed him staring. "Sorry!" She murmured again.___

_"The mistake was mine." His voice was smooth and deep. He offered her his hand and she took it.___

_"Thank you."___

_"No problem. I'm William. William Reid."___

_"I'm Diana. It's nice to meet you." He looked at her for the first time. Her hair was the lightest shade of blonde possible, her lips full and tempting. Her cheeks were the most beautiful shade of red, and her eyes were so blue and gorgeous that he was reminded of the ocean. He thought he might drown in her gaze.___

_"The pleasure is all mine." He glanced down at the two books in her grip. "Studying?" He guessed.___

_"What? These? Oh, no. Just some light reading."___

_The two books in her hand could have been textbooks. His demeanor gave nothing away until His eyebrows shot up in surprise. Still, his charm was right on target. ___

_"If I may, I'd like to buy you those books." A look of surprise crossed Diana's features, and she smiled.___

_"I'd like that." She remarked, quietly. After the books were purchased she pulled out the receipt and wrote her name and phone number on the back of it. ___

_Three days later, he had called to ask her on their first date.__  
_  
In their bed, Diana grinned up at her husband and kissed his cheek. He smiled at her.

"What are you thinking about?" He asked. She smirked.

"The first time we ever met."

He returned her look. "Buying those books for you was the best thing I ever did, aside from marrying you and having our son, of course."

"Of course." She agreed. "Just think of all we've accomplished together."

"It is a remarkable thing. The best part about it was that we did it together."

They shared a kiss. "Marriage is no easy task, but even though you threw in the towel for a while, you got back in." Diana commented. William bit his lip.

"I know we don't talk about this, but about that time..."

"You know I forgive you for that, right?"

"I know, but let me finish." Diana was quiet. "I left because I felt like I was drowning. The pressure of what my life was then got to be too much, so I packed my bags and went on my way. When you asked me to take Spencer with you I said no because I needed time to clear my head. I still loved him and you. I never stopped. I just got so overwhelmed that I didn't think about what it would cost the two of you when I left. For that, I am sorry."

Diana kissed his lips. "I forgive you. The past is in the past. I think we've gotten to the point where we can let this go." She searched his eyes for any hesitation and found none.

William nodded, and it was a relief. She kissed him one last time.

"Goodnight my love."

"Goodnight."

With that, they fell asleep.


	14. Sick Day

**Author's Note: Thank you for reviewing! Please keep it up! I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

When Spencer woke up that morning, he knew something was wrong. Not in a schizophrenic sense as it often was**,** but in a physical sense. The feeling of dread settled into his stomach and wouldn't leave. He turned over onto his side and started to whimper. His throat hurt and he was so cold that he thought Antarctica had come in place of Virginia.

Diana was still asleep when Spencer woke up, but her mind flashed an invisible signal to her that her son was awake and she got up almost instantly to check on him. Tying her pink bathrobe at the waist, she shuffled to the nursery to see what her baby was up to. When she opened the door and saw him crying she felt her heart break inside of her chest. She rushed over to him, put the crib bar down, and pulled him into her arms.

"What's the matter, sweetheart?" She asked. He sniffed, and she kissed one of his tears away. He buried his face into her chest. As she lay him down for a change, she felt his forehead. He was burning up. Her maternal instincts kicked into high gear. "Spencer, are you hurting anywhere?" He looked at her drowsily and tried to think about her question, but couldn't focus. Instead he groaned as a few more tears leaked from his eyes. Diana looked at him pitifully. He pointed to his throat.

"Do you have a sore throat?"

He nodded.

"Is there anything else?" He thought about it then shook his head no.

She sat him down and went to the bathroom to grab a thermometer from the medicine cabinet. She put it under his tongue and waited. When it beeped, she looked. 100 degrees even. She pulled him into a hug, then laid him back down in his crib.

"You need to get some rest, okay, baby?" He nodded. "Are you hungry?"

He shook his head. He didn't want to think about food right now. It made his stomach roil. Diana sighed. It looked as if her son had the flu. What a great way to start off their first weekend together. She turned on the baby monitor by his crib and gave him a kiss.

"If you need anything, Daddy and I are listening."

He nodded, and she left the door open a crack. Knowing she wouldn't be able to get back to sleep now, she started making breakfast instead. It was a good way for her to channel her anxiety into something positive. She fixed some eggs, bacon, and toast before loading it onto a tray and walking back into the master bedroom.

William had awoken just before she entered, and was pleasantly surprised to see her carrying a tray of food.

"Morning, handsome." She kissed his cheek and set the tray in his lap.

"Breakfast in bed. Wow." He grinned up at her. "What's the occasion?"

She shrugged. "No occasion. I did it because I can." He smiled.

"Far be it from me to restrict your impulses." He took his fork and dug in, but noticed that something was wrong. "What is it?"

She looked startled when he said it. "I think Spencer has the flu."

His face twisted into a sad grimace. "Is he okay?"

"He has a sore throat and fever. He didn't want to eat anything this morning." William nodded.

"I'll take care of it."

"No," she interjected sharply. "You have to work."

"Diana, you haven't even been out for two days yet. I don't want the stress of caring for Spencer to make you hallucinate." She knew he was making a valid point, but wouldn't hear of it.

"He's my son. If I can't make him feel better when he's sick, what kind of mother am I?"

William hadn't been able to poke a hole in that logic without offending her. Begrudgingly, he agreed, but made sure that she promised to check in by email every two hours while he was gone. For today though, he was home and was determined to help his son get better. Diana gave him a list of pharmaceutical products to pick up for Spencer while she watched over him. She didn't even eat her own breakfast until her husband returned with the medications she'd listed. Many of them got Spencer back to sleep rather quickly. Diana had made sure that her son had a bucket nearby in case he got sick. Unfortunately for her, it had been used twice in the last hour.

As much as Diana feared for her son's physical health, her concerns were much more focused on his mental health. She didn't want him to start hallucinating like he had the last time he was sick. She did everything in her power to keep him in the present- she read him stories, sang him songs, and watched movies with him. But she always worried that it wasn't enough. Whenever William looked at her when Spencer wasn't looking, her face was rigid with distress. Her face was set in worried lines as she tried to get him to eat something, but every time she was refused. Each refusal seemed to age her a little more, and soon she looked as if she had aged a thousand years in less than three hours.

William kept close to both his wife and son, his own fear for them both making him much more alert than usual. As the day progressed, Spencer made small steps toward improvement. He ate a few bites of his lunch and took his medication. The time span between his vomiting increased, and the sore throat was being soothed until he only noticed it if he thought about it. When he got ready for bed that same evening, his fever had finally broken. Seeing the rapid improvement made Diana question her earlier theory. Maybe it wasn't the flu. Maybe it was just some weird virus. She fervently hoped that was correct as she tucked her son into bed.

"Goodnight Spencer."

"Goodnight, Mommy. Goodnight, Daddy."

His parents flicked the light off, and he fell into a deep sleep.


	15. Home

The next day was William's first day back at work since his wife's release. Although he was sad to leave her and their son, he couldn't help but feel excited to go back to work. Diana had gotten up early to fix him breakfast and pack his lunch. They shared a kiss, and then he sped off for work. Diana then went about waking her son. She turned on the light and gently shook his shoulder.

"How are you feeling, baby?"

He smiled, though he was tired. "Good."

She grinned. "Good." It seemed that the sickness had only lasted one day after all, and that was a relief. Spencer got up and started getting himself ready for work while his mother made them both breakfast. When Spencer too had finished his food and left, Diana had the house to herself. She first sent her husband an email from their laptop telling him that Spencer had gone to work. After that was done, she sat down in the wooden chair, trying to figure out what to do with herself. With both her husband and son away, she didn't really have much to do. She went into the bathroom to brush her teeth and decided to use the day to do whatever she pleased.

She started filling the bathtub with perfectly warmed water and some lavender scented bubble bath. When the tub was full she went out, grabbed one of her treasured books, and sat in the warm water as she began to read. William had surprised her with a couple of new books the day before she was released from the sanitarium, so she figured that she could read one of them now. She devoured it in one sitting. When the water started to get cold, she drained the tub before jumping in the shower to wash her hair. When that was over, she slipped into a pair of comfortable pajamas and went out on the couch to watch some TV. When lunchtime rolled around, she decided to eat in the backyard. It was an unusually bright spring day. The birds were chirping, flowers were in full bloom, and everything around her seemed to exude happiness. It matched what she felt inside.

Adjusting to being home again was a big transition for Diana. More so than she liked to admit. It was strange to not have orderlies badgering her about medication. It was odd not to see her psychiatrist once a day. But the most difficult thing to process was that she actually had privacy now. Real privacy, which she had been denied at the sanitarium because she had always been a high risk patient for hurting herself. People came into her room wether she allowed it or not. She had no say in the matter. Now that she did, it was a peculiar notion. She wouldn't trade being with her family for anything in the world, but this part would definitely take some getting used to.

Feeling as if she wanted to be useful, she decided to clean the house. She couldn't say she missed that part of living in the sanitarium, but it was something normal people did.

Normal.

She never thought the word applied to her or her family. Certainly their lifestyle choices were as abnormal as could be. But, that didn't mean she didn't want her life to be somewhat normal. Well, at least in regards to this, anyways. She smiled once she finished mopping the floors and moved on to vacuuming. She decided to space out her cleaning over the course of the week so that way she wouldn't be taking on too much at one time.

Around four thirty, she began to get a sinking feeling in her stomach. The kind she always got before a psychotic episode. She ran into the hallucination room and locked the door before sitting on top of the bed, bracing herself for the terror that she was sure was about to be dawning on her. She expected delusions, she expected multiple voices, she expected to feel some type of fear. But instead, there was only one voice, criticizing her for all that she had done and all that she had not done. She retained an eerie sense of calm as it spoke. It was a rare day when she was lucid enough to think while the voices were speaking. Perhaps it was God's way of telling her that she had made the right decision. The voice continued in its assault, but she was not afraid of it this time. For once, she could actually ignore it.

She wasn't sure how long she sat there as the voice droned on and on, considering that there was no clock in the room, but she was sure she saw the afternoon shadows beginning to lengthen through the small window above the bed. The room began to darken slightly, but it wasn't enough to capture her attention. Slowly, the voice was running out of insults, so she knew it was almost over. When her head was quiet for five minutes straight, she finally went out of the room to start making dinner.

As she went about cooking lasagna for her family, she couldn't help but smile. She had gotten through her first schizophrenic episode at home. She was so proud of herself. She had taken her illness by the horns and beaten it down. It made her feel invincible. Once the lasagna was in the oven, she set the table and started making a salad.

When William got home that evening, he was delighted to go see his wife. When he got into the house, it looked clean and smelled amazing.

"Something smells great." He remarked, wrapping his arm around his wife's waist. She smiled.

"Thank you." They shared a kiss.

"Spencer called and said he'd be working late tonight." William said as she got the lasagna out of the oven. Her smile slipped a notch.

"Oh."

His hold on her tightened slightly. "We could have a romantic dinner together." He whispered in her ear. The smile was back full force.

"You get the candles, I'll get the wine glasses."

That evening they spent a romantic evening alone. Although Diana couldn't have any wine due to her medication, she put water in her wine glass and was pleased with it anyways. They had a romantic dinner together, and even baked a dessert to share with each other. They read love poetry to one another, and it all culminated with love making. As she lay in bed that evening, Diana Reid couldn't have been more pleased with her life and herself. After years of agony away from those she loved, everything had finally turned around for the better. And really, how could it get any better than it was right now? She had a devoted husband, a loving son, and a definitely improved mental health. As she shut her eyes to go to sleep, she smiled. She was home at last.


	16. Cover Up

For the first few months Diana adjusted back into the role of a housewife and mother. To her, it was like learning to ride a bike. She had always remembered how to do it, it just took her some time to figure it out and readjust to her role. The vast majority of the time she was euphoric. Her son was healthy, her husband was happy, and she was getting a better handle on her illness by the day. Of course she still had bad days, but they were notably fewer since she had been released from the sanitarium.

Under the guidance of both parents, Spencer was flourishing. Now that life at home had become more stable and predictable, he had been willing to take a few more risks when it came to his work, and his brighter attitude had been noticed. He had become more confident than ever. Best of all, he had embraced the long hidden part of himself that he had once been afraid to show. Instead of the ridicule and mocking he had expected, he had been met with acceptance, understanding, and love.

William too had been notably happier. He had reconciled with his son and was now getting to know him in a way he never thought possible. His wife had forgiven him for his past mistakes and their marriage was stronger than ever. His family had been brought back together after years of estrangement. It was absolutely beautiful, and he was thankful for it every day.

Everything seemed to be looking up for the Reid family, which meant that something had to go and mess it up.

It started out as an average day.

Diana had gotten up early and made breakfast for her husband and son. They had eaten together but had left separately, leaving Diana, as always, home by herself. All was normal for her and her husband, but would not prove to be so for her son.

A rash of abductions had caught the attention of the BAU. Every one of the abductees were high-ranked geniuses who were working on top-secret projects. The photos of the victims were alongside their IQ points. each had an IQ of 160 at least. The latest abdication had taken place in the state of Washington, so the team took the jet and headed to the Seattle suburb of Kirkland.

Doctor Kenny Richmond lived alone in a smaller house on a quiet street. The contents of his home told the team very little about what he was working on, suggesting that he preferred to not take his work back home with him. It was, in essence, a typical bachelor pad.

They decided to split up the next day and look at the workplace of each of the victims. Spencer was tasked with talking to Doctor Richmond's superior.

Doctor Robert Caraway was a man in his early thirties who appeared to be pleasant enough. He seemed to be a cooperative person who was a compulsive talker. The words spewing from his mouth were like verbal vomit. They made Spencer feel on edge for some reason. The feeling didn't abate as he finished his questioning.

The Doctor stood up, and Reached out his hand.

"Thank you for your time, Doctor Reid."

"It's no trouble at all." He tried to brush his discomfort aside, and shook his hand.

Only to be zapped by a well-hidden stun gun one second later.

The second it happened, Diana knew something was wrong, but decided to push the feeling aside until her husband was able to come home.

Since Doctor Caraway had a secluded office, he used a small passage behind his bookcase to get to his car. After depositing the BAU agent in his trunk, he sped off for a small storage facility nearby.

He opened the door and parked inside. Popping the trunk of his car, he pulled Doctor Reid out and dragged him toward a large machine. He hooked his head up to some wires and then set him inside next to the other doctors who were pawns in his scheme. He shut the door and turned it on. Upon being powered up, Reid's body moved into the last voluntary position it would be in for awhile. He hugged his knees to his chest. His face stayed in a distressed state as all of his intelligence was slowly being filtered into the machine and his life force was being drained in the process.

When Spencer didn't check in with the rest of the team, they all drove to the lab he was visiting. His car was still in parking lot. When they looked for Doctor Caraway, he was shuffling papers in his office like nothing ever happened. He told the team that Spencer had left his office around two hours ago. He was an accomplished liar who aroused the least amount of suspicion, but the agents of the BAU saw through the thin veneer. Because he was the last one to see Spencer alive, they took him in for questioning.

The good Doctor remained cool under pressure when being interrogated. This only added to the growing frustration of the team. Inside, he was smirking. He did it, he knew he did it, and they couldn't make him say it. They would never catch him.

At least, that's what he thought.

While running a background check on him, Garcia discovered a clean record. No misdemeanors, arrests, or even a speeding ticket. The only property he owned was his home. This, however, did not satisfy her. She knew there was something missing from this picture, and she was determined to find out what. She dug into his history and found out his Mother's maiden name. Gail Ruark was one of the clues in this puzzle. The other was the name of his deceased brother, Calvin. There was a storage unit rented in the name of Calvin Ruark. Once she had cracked the code, the team sped off to see if their lead was a reliable one.


	17. Knowledge

**Author's Note: Please Review!**

The storage unit was a good ten miles away from where the station they were using was. In the time it took to get there, it didn't take much for the team of FBI agents to get very, very anxious. They weren't sure what they were going to find, but they knew it wasn't going to be good. When they arrived at the storage unit, the manager opened the door while the agents had their guns at the ready. When the door was up, a large machine was glowing with a blue-green hue.

"Clear!"

Carefully, they went up to the machine and looked inside.

There sat Reid with all of the other kidnapped geniuses. All of them were holding their knees to their chests, eyes closed, but faces showing clear distress.

"Reid!" Called Derek, but Spencer was not moving.

"What is that thing?" Asked Prentiss, touching the smooth sides.

"I don't know, but there has to be an instruction manual somewhere. Everybody spread out!" Hotch ordered.

It was Rossi who ended up finding the instructions.

"It's a machine that drains knowledge from people and gives it to another person."

"So Caraway was using this to make himself smarter, but why?" Morgan wondered.

"I don't know, but we're going to find out." Hotch vowed.

While JJ, Prentiss, and Morgan got on the line with Garcia to see if she could help them reverse the process, Hotch and Rossi went back to interrogate Robert Caraway.

Rossi sat down with him while Hotch stood on the side.

"We found your little project in the storage space you rented. Using your dead brothers name and your mother's maiden name was a nice touch. I'm guessing you consider yourself a family man."

Caraway said nothing. Rossi leaned in toward him.

"What were you planning to do with that machine, huh? Get a promotion at work? Maybe go back to school and get a degree you wanted but couldn't earn by yourself? What was your plan, Robert? Come on, just between us. What were you going to do?"

"I'll never tell." He equivocated. Rossi shrugged.

"That's fine. If you don't want to tell us yourself, we'll just ask the geniuses you kidnapped what they've studied. It won't be that hard to figure out your motive. And when we do, we'll tell the DA you didn't cooperate fully with us, and you might get some more jail time for obstructing justice."

Robert huffed. "I wanted to build an army of super genius robots to help around the lab. I could make a fortune off of the perfect lab assistant and then those who don't enjoy human interaction could work around the lab in an anxiety-free setting."

"What were you planning on doing with the bodies of those who you drained?" Asked Hotch. He shrugged nonchalantly.

"Burn them beyond recognition."

Hotch opened the door and the police gladly dragged him away while both he and Rossi looked on in utter disgust at yet another unfeeling, corrupt human being.

Two hours later, the process had been reversed, but the geniuses were unconscious, and were rushed to the nearest hospital.

Diana was motionless, face set in grim lines. When William got home, he rushed over to it.

"Diana? What is it? What's wrong?"

She placed her hands on her husband's chest. "Spencer is in danger. Something's wrong. He's in trouble. We have to do something."

William looked at her and could see that she was lucid. He looked saddened.

"Let's try and call him."

Before they could, his cell phone rang.

"Mr. Reid?"

"Yes?"

"This is Derek Morgan with the BAU. I'm just calling to let you know that Spencer's in the Evergreen Hospital And Medical Center near Kirkland, Washington."

"What happened?"

"I'm not allowed to say."

"What room is it?"

"216."

"We'll be there as soon as possible. Thank you for letting us know."

Diana looked at him. He just nodded. A choked noise came out of her throat, and her face crumpled, but she didn't cry.

Although she was terrified of flying, Diana ignored what seemed to be a petty fear in favor of focusing on the more present fear of her son's welfare. William held her hand the entire time, silently lamenting the same worries his wife was having.

For five hours Diana was on edge. Her anxiety only worsened on the drive to the hospital. She was squeezing his hand so tightly he thought it might break, but he stayed quiet. She didn't need to be anymore upset than she already was. When they got there it was a relief.

They went into the private hospital room where Derek haas been assigned to watch over his friend. When Diana saw her son, she swayed in a near faint. William kept her steady. He led her to a chair and let her sit down. He really thought she was going to cry, but she didn't break.

As Derek watched the couple, he was genuinely shocked at how close they appeared to be. He had known that they had remarried, but hadn't gathered that they seemed so vital to the other's existence. As a profiler, he was surprised. Quickly, though, he turned his attention back to his friend.

For a long space of time, the room was blanketed with silence, other than the beeping of the machines that demonstrated that Spencer was still with them. William kept his emotions to himself, but his wife wore her own emotions on her sleeve. He could see the terror in her face. He supposed to others she appeared composed, but he could see past the mask to the fear lurking just beneath the surface. There was so much exhaustion on her face, and yet the expression on Spencer's face troubled him, too. Perhaps even more.

He wasn't relaxed like he usually was in sleep. His face was afraid. Diana never took her eyes off of Spencer's face. He never looked so scared unless he was hallucinating. Her mind raced as she tried to comprehend who would do something like this to her baby. It broke her heart.

Then, Spencer's eyes opened at last.


	18. Wake

Diana was instantly at Spencer's side, stroking his hair as he looked around in fright.

"It's okay, baby. It's fine. You're safe." She soothed.

"Mommy?" He asked, frightened. She nodded.

Just seeing her took a lot of the fear that he felt away. He felt like he could breathe again. He moved his head to put it in her lap. Then, he saw that Daddy was there, too. He smiled.

"Hey buddy. How are you doing?" He asked, getting up from his chair. Spencer smiled.

"Okay."

"Honey, do you know what happened to you?" Asked Diana. Morgan leaned in to hear.

"No. There was this blue light, a scream, and this machine... It took all my energy away. That's all I remember."

"Okay." Diana replied softly. She started humming under her breath. Spencer could only feel relief. Very quickly, he fell asleep. Derek took the opportunity to step out of the room and make a few calls, leaving William and his wife to speak privately. Once he left, William felt the mood in the room shift and looked at his wife.

"How do you feel?" He asked softly. Diana was quiet and contemplative. When she didn't respond, he reached Over to caress her cheek. "Diana," he said in a soothing yet attention-grabbing tone, "Look at me."

Slowly, she turned to look at him. She wasn't hallucinating- a fact that he thanked God for- but he could tell she wasn't completely there. Hesitantly, he put a hand on her shoulder. She didn't pull away like he expected. "What's bothering you?"

She turned the cuff of her sleeve inside out when she spoke.

"I'm so proud of Spencer and everything he does to help people, but times like these make me question everything. I know he's doing the right thing for himself, but it doesn't mean watching this gets any easier."

Ah. Now he understood.

"No one ever said that life was going to be easy. We just have to play the hand of cards we're dealt with and hope that it all turns out for the better in the end. I know you want to save him from everything, but if you did then the couldn't grow and become his own person. You did an amazing job raising him. You did me proud."

By the end of the speech, Diana's eyes were glistening with unshed tears. How she ever lived without him, she would never know. She took his face in her hands and kissed him, only stopping when Spencer started to whimper. She watched him hyper vigilantly for about an hour before deciding to actually wake him. Morgan was called back to the BAU, and knew that his friend would be safe with his parents. As soon as he was gone, Diana changed his wet and messy diaper before offering him a small stuffed animal that she'd packed in her bag. It wasn't Jeff, but it would do. Slowly, he regressed into his babyish state and finally fell asleep when it was close enough to nap time.

Of the three of them, William was the most composed. Diana could be as cold as ice when she wanted to be, but when it came to Spencer she was about as tough as a loaf of bread. Spencer himself was good at keeping emotions at bay at work, but at home they ran his life. He didn't consider himself a very emotional person either, but could demonstrate it when was necessary. This was the key in upholding the family structure during times like this. His rationale was perfectly suited for this role in the family.

When Spencer woke up from his nap he saw his mother smiling up at him and reached up to her. She wrapped him into a warm hug and he grinned.

"Feeling better?" She asked, sweetly. He nodded, his naturally bouncy attitude coming back after his short stint of fear. Diana tickled him and he laughed joyfully. William just watched them with a grin. When it came time for dinner, they treated it as if it were any other day in their house. Diana fed her son bites of jello and other soft foods that she approved of.

When it came time for bed, Diana read him his favorite story before heading off to sleep herself. She had refused to leave his side, fearing that he might have a nightmare after such a traumatic experience. Her intuition was proven correct when he woke up and cried for her twice. Each time she dried his tears and got him back to sleep, never once thinking about her own needs. William was there and occasionally lent a hand, but he was very aware that Spencer was used to having Mommy comfort him when it came to nightmares. He knew that Spencer trusted him too, but not quite in the same way. In time, he was certain that he would be just as comforting to Spencer as his mother was, but for now it was Diana's turn, and he was fine with that.

When the three of them got up the next morning, all of them were exhausted. Even in an early morning slump Diana managed to be energized for her son. While William called in to work about his family emergency, Diana changed her son and started to feed him breakfast. That afternoon the doctor declared him fit to go home. Instead of taking the BAU jet, he flew home with his parents. Diana was cushioned between the two of them as she tried to put on a brave face to hide her fear of flying.

When they finally got back home, Spencer ran for the nursery and picked his favorite plushie out of his crib, hugging it tightly. That day would prove to be memorable for all of them. Spencer held nothing back and expressed himself as freely as he pleased. His parents reciprocated by giving him lots of extra love and attention- particularly by cuddling. When the day was done and everyone was in their rightful places, they smiled.

Their house was at peace tonight.

**Please Review!**


	19. Lonely

The following morning proved to be a very difficult one for the Reid family. Diana was reluctant to let Spencer leave for work after seeing what happened the day before. The prospect of seeing her son in a hospital bed again was completely nerve wracking. But she knew it wasn't her choice. It was with a heavy heart that she watched her son leave.

William could feel his wife's anxiety skyrocket as their son pulled out of the driveway. His fear of her slipping away into a hallucination was triple what it normally was.

"Are you sure you'll be alright?" He asked as she fixed his tie.

"I'll be fine." She promised, sounding confident. Inside, though, she wasn't sure. He frowned and looked like he was about to protest, but then saw the time.

"I have to go." He kissed her, and then was out the door.

With a feeling of anticlimax in her stomach, she went to sit down on the couch. The only part of being home alone she didn't like was being held hostage by her own fears. Her mind always ran the gamut of terrible things that could happen to her child. She had to stop herself before she went too far. This was not going to happen today. She pursed her lips in dissatisfaction. It was a mother's job to worry over the safety of her children, but her paranoid schizophrenia took it to a whole new level. Sometimes it came in handy. Other times it was just a nuisance.

She got up and went to the bedroom she shared with her husband and walked over to the bookshelf where she took her journal out along with a pen. She went back out to the living room, staring blankly at the backyard, and began to write without any knowledge of what she was going to say.

_8:15 AM. Thursday. Spencer and William both left for work. I'm home alone. My worry is getting out of hand. He should be safe. I hope he is, at least. I can't stop expecting the worst to happen. I can't let it go. This will be my downfall._

She stopped writing when her hands started to shake. She couldn't make it stop, either. She went to the hallucination room just in case things got out of hand. She curled up onto the bed, clutching her journal to her chest. She felt her anxiety increase tenfold, and could only hope that she wouldn't hurt herself. She knew Spencer and William wouldn't be able to handle it if they knew she got hurt while they were gone. The fog that came with her thoughts when the voices took over began to cloud her mind. Her last coherent thought was that she must not let herself lose control. After that, there were only the voices and the distant memory of lucidity.

Spencer, despite his capture two days ago, retained a cheery disposition. The day before had helped him get out all of his negativity and helped him gather his wits again. He breathed a sigh of relief when he found out that the current case was in the area. Good. That way he had more time to spend with his parents.

While driving to their destination, he sent an email to his father that he would be coming home tonight.

When William opened up his email at lunch, he was pleasantly surprised to see that Spencer would be home with them that evening. He almost went to call his wife when some obscure sense stopped him. Something wasn't right. He could tell that his gut feeling From that morning was correct. For that, he felt mourning. He silently vowed to get home early today. Until then, there was nothing left to do but wait.

The hours passed all too slowly, but finally William was allowed to go home. He drove slightly over the speed limit, even though he knew the possible consequences. Honestly, he couldn't bring himself to care. When he got home he left his briefcase in the car, carelessly tossed his keys onto the table, and ran to the hallucination room. As he got to the door, he opened it slowly. He wasn't sure what to expect. His wife lay on the bed, writing in her journal. Cautiously, he stepped toward her. She didn't look up.

"Diana?" He asked, carefully. She looked up at the sound of her name, but didn't appear to recognize him.

"What is it?" She asked. William felt his heart sink. She was in a bad mood. That was never good.

"I just wanted to see if you were okay."

"Of course I am," she snapped. "Who wouldn't be okay in this god-damnable nut house." Her sarcasm rang clear as day as she mumbled angrily to herself. Her head snapped back to him when he stood there and didn't move. "Was there something else you wanted?" Her tone was bone-chillingly cold. He shook his head, and then went out of the room, locking the door behind him. Diana just wrote in her journal and ignored him.

William couldn't help the shiver that ran down his spine. He had seen her hallucinate before, but never to the point where her temper was out of hand. He tried to shrug off the feeling and started dinner.

When Spencer got home that evening, he was greeted by the smell of fried chicken. He grinned and took off his messenger bag.

"Hey, buddy." He called, putting the last few legs into a bowl.

"Hi, Daddy."

"Dinner's almost ready. Go wash your hands." He nodded, then turned around, expecting to see his mother. When he didn't, he frowned.

"Where's Mommy?"

William paused for the barest second before walking over to him.

"Mommy's having a bad day today."

His frown only deepened.

"She'll be okay. Don't worry about it." He promised. Despite the comforting words, Spencer couldn't help but feel sad and let out a sniffle. William gave him a hug before setting the table. He left a plate in Diana's room, but shut the door quickly as she flung her journal at him.

As he sat at the dinner table that night, Spencer was painfully aware of his mother's absence. His hope waxed and waned in cycles. He couldn't help but keep staring at the hallway, hoping for her to come down it and give him cuddles. He was disappointed every time she didn't. When dinner was over, he didn't talk or play like he usually did. He just hugged his stuffed bear and sat in the hallway, waiting for his mother to appear.

The sight of it broke William's heart, but he knew it was better this way. He didn't want Diana to hurt him accidentally and then feel guilty about it later. That night he bathed his son, read to him, and tucked him into bed by himself. Spencer, well aware of it, cried himself to sleep that night. And William, for the first time in months, went to bed alone.

**A/N: Sad chapter,** **but fun to write. Please review!**


	20. Doors

When Diana finally came to the next morning, she had no memory of what had happened the night before. She looked around and saw her journal laying on the floor by a plate of fried chicken, mashed potatoes and corn. The food lay untouched. When she went over to touch it, everything was cold as ice. She went over and picked up the tray, and opened the door that her husband had unlocked the night before. She walked down the hall, set the plate in the kitchen, and looked at the nearest clock. It was four o'clock in the morning. After using the bathroom, she climbed under the covers as her husband slept peacefully. She lay there wide awake until the alarm went off.

William smacked the alarm off and turned over onto his side, surprised to see his wife laying beside him. She smiled at him, and he kissed her.

"Welcome back." He said with a grin.

"Thank you." She waited a minute, then asked, "Do you know anything about what happened?"

William paused. "When I went to see you after I got home you were in a bad mood. I went to give you dinner and you threw your journal at me." She blushed.

"I'm so-" he put a finger to her lips.

"Don't."

She sighed. The question she dreaded was still in her mind, and wether she liked the answer or not, it had to be asked.

"I didn't... I didn't do anything to Spencer while I was gone, did I?" It was her worst fear.

"No. Nothing. I made sure he didn't see you."

She breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank God."

He smiled, then jumped in the shower while she started breakfast. Cooking was her salvation in this case. Something to keep her focus off of her guilt. When her husband's food was ready, she went to wake up her son.

She went into the nursery and for a moment simply stared at Spencer's sleeping face. He looked peaceful. She didn't want to wake him, but she had to. She put down the side of the crib and knelt down to his level.

"Spencer? It's time to get up, sweetheart." She said in her sugary sweet voice. She knew it was a few minutes earlier than usual, but she needed to talk to him. He made a sad noise and then opened his eyes. His eyes finally locked onto his mother, and he smiled.

"Mommy." He mumbled from behind his pacifier, and reached up to her. She gladly complied. Instead of changing him as she normally did, however, she sat in the rocking chair and sat him in her lap. Abruptly, Spencer noticed the subtle change in his mother's demeanor and looked up at her questioningly.

"I just wanted to talk to you for a minute about something." He nodded. "I know we've talked about this a few times before, but I wanted to tell you this again." He stilled in her arms a moment.

She gave him a second to process her words.

"When I go away, I know you get scared. It's perfectly normal to be afraid. I know that you know that I don't mean what I do. But what I worry about is hurting you. Nothing scares me more than that. I couldn't live with myself if I hurt you."

He frowned. "But you would never hurt me." It was so innocent and trusting that it broke her heart. He cuddled closer to her.

"Not intentionally, ever. But I just wanted to apologize for hurting you. With my absence, with my words, or with any actions. You mean everything to me, and I never ever wanted to make you feel terrible in any way. I love you, sweetheart."

"I love you too, Mommy."

Diana changed her son and locked the nursery door before taking him out to eat his breakfast. William ruffled his son's hair affectionately as he moved to put his plate on the table. The atmosphere of the room was very hopeful- different from yesterday's blues. It seemed like anything could happen. Just as Spencer started eating his own breakfast, William went over to get his legal briefs. Not long after he hugged his son and kissed his wife, just as Spencer finished the last bit of egg on his plate.

Spencer got ready for work in about fifteen minutes. Daddy was gone by then, and Mommy was doing dishes. He was about to leave when a knock sounded at the door. He opened it and was surprised to see Derek Morgan standing there. Morgan had seen the toll the past few days had taken on his coworker, and wanted to help his friend. He figured that it would be nice for Spencer to not have to worry about getting to work and he could have time to just relax. When Morgan asked to use the bathroom, he directed him down the hall on the left. The first door he tried was locked, so he tried the next one. Bingo. When he was done, they got in the car and sped away.

As they drove off to work that morning, Morgan's thoughts wandered back to the first door he tried. Now he understood why people locked certain doors when company was around. However, he himself was unexpected company, and the door was still locked. It puzzled him. He wanted to ask his friend about it, but somehow it felt like going too far to pry into his life that way. As they pulled into the BAU parking lot, Spencer was quick to hop out of the car and get on with his day, but Morgan followed at a slower pace. He was hiding something. Of that much he was sure. But what did he have to hide? He had already told the team about his double life. What could be more secretive than that? He wasn't sure. He was, however, certain of one thing:

He had to figure out what was behind that door.

**A/N: Please review!**


	21. Author's Note

**Author's Note:******

**Hey guys! I'm so sorry for not updating but my dog went to the hospital yesterday and is very sick, so updates will understandably be slowed for a little while. So sorry! Thank you all for being such amazing readers!******

**With Love,****  
****Holly**


	22. Digging

While they were in the jet, Morgan went into the bathroom to make a call.

"Hey hey, Chocolate Thunder. What can I do for you?"

"Hey baby girl, I just wanted to pick your brain on something."

"Pick away, my prince."

"You were at Reid's house, right?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"Did you happen to notice a locked door while you were there?"

"Now that you mention it... Yeah."

"Did you ask him about it?"

"No. I wasn't thinking about it."

"Okay. Thanks."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa- why are you asking?"

He sighed. She might as well know.

"I just want to figure out what's behind that door."

"Ah." She smiled even though he couldn't see it. "Good luck on your quest, oh noble one."

He laughed. "Thanks Garcia." He ended the call.

Solving cases, he knew, would be much easier than getting Spencer Reid to open up- even if he was his friend. As they made their way to Houston, Texas, Morgan strategized the best way to get his friend to spill the beans.

Spencer sat in his own row of seats on the plane, reading one of the books JJ had given him for his birthday. Morgan sat in front of him.

"How you doing, man?" Spencer was surprised, but smiled, despite the minor annoyance of having been interrupted while reading.

"Fine, thanks."

"I just wanted to ask you something."

Spencer raised an eyebrow. "Okay."

"I was looking for the bathroom and stumbled across a locked door. I just wanted to know what's behind it."

For the first time in possibly their entire relationship, he saw color creep up Spencer's neck.

"That's private." He said quickly. Morgan figured that would be the response he got. So much for the direct approach, but at least he gave it a shot. At least he tried. Oh well, time for the next plan.

"What is it? A lab? A workshop? A music room?"

Spencer stayed stone faced. "No."

"A library? A bar? A screening room?"

The color spread to his face. "No."

"You know I won't tell anyone."

The words calmed him slightly, but he stood firm. "I know. But I'm not allowed to tell."

That woke him up a bit. "What do you mean?"

Spencer blushed, and it told Morgan that he'd given away more than he intended. "I don't want to talk about it."

He decided he'd already pushed enough for now. "Okay."

When the plane landed, he stored the information in the back of his mind and focused on the case. Spencer tried to do the same, but his mind had room to both work and ruminate over the slip up he made in their earlier conversation. No one needed to know what was behind that door. Logically, he knew that they would likely accept it and move on, but fear was not a logical thing. His fear did not paralyze him completely because he didn't let it, but that didn't mean it didn't try to strangle him now and again.

He knew Morgan would be like a dog with a bone with this new nugget of information. He would go and go and go until he got to the truth. He was tenacious. It was a quality he admired, but he knew it would be his undoing in this situation. He had to figure out how to handle this and keep his secret safe.

When they went out to dinner that evening, Spencer was much quieter than usual. He was clearly distracted, and this didn't go unnoticed by his friends. However, they got the sense that whatever he was dealing with was very private, so they didn't pry. When Spencer went to sleep that night he was restless, tossing and turning in his sleep. When the next morning rolled around, he felt as if he hadn't slept at all.

On the car ride to the police station, he could feel Derek silently looking at him, trying to figure him out. It annoyed him, but he kept control over his emotions. He was thankful that the case was so engrossing. That way he didn't have to think about his own troubles. Within forty eight hours, it was over, and they were back on the jet. Spencer's face was set in worried lines as he failed to interest himself with another book. He didn't want Morgan to barrage him with questions.

As it turned out, he was left be- but at a terrible price.

The hallucination came and gripped him. The voices began their assault, and he immediately shut down. He pulled his knees to his chest and put his head down, clamping his hands over his ears as tears silently rolled down his cheeks. They all noticed and kept an eye on him. Hotch called his home and made Diana aware of the situation. Morgan volunteered to take him home, seeing as William had yet to return from work and left his wife without a car.

When he got to the Reid home, Diana raced toward the car and knelt by her son, pulling his hand from his ears and squeezing his right hand and waited. Spencer's shoulders relaxed a fraction, but that was it. He did not look up at his mother. Diana pulled her son onto her hip and took him inside. She invited Derek inside and, unable to resist a chance to get near the locked door, accepted. Diana set her son on the couch, knowing that he wouldn't move for a while. She made him a cup of tea, and they made small talk for a few minutes before William burst through the door. His eyes darted across the room to his son, and relaxed slightly when he saw that he was physically fine. Spencer seemed to sense his father's presence and lifted up his head, as if picking up on a change in the wind, although his eyes were still glazed over. Morgan looked over at them to see Diana moving toward him slightly. Diana set her hand on her husband's chest, and he looked down at her. They had a silent conversation through their eye contact, short but clearly intense. William nodded in silent signal, and she went over to her son. She knelt in front of him and tucked his hair behind his ears. She pressed a kiss to his forehead before lifting him into his arms. William pulled a key from his pocket and went to unlock the nursery. He opened the door and let his wife and son through before going in himself.

This was his window of opportunity. He jumped at the chance to see the secret for himself and was shocked to see Diana holding her son in her lap in a rocking chair, William watching from across the room in a full-blown nursery.


	23. Reaction

**Author's Note: I do not own "Lavender's Blue". **

The first emotion that Derek Morgan could identify was shock. Of all of the possibilities that he'd considered being behind that door, this was not one of them. For a moment, all he could do was stare, perplexed at the scene before him. It wasn't like this was an unusual thing. Seeing Spencer being cared for in itself was actually quite heartening. The only difference now was the setting. He had seen Spencer being cared for by both of his parents before, and he hadn't even blinked. Yet somehow, this was different. It seemed more... Concrete. More realistic rather than a game of pretend.

His eyes caught the look on Spencer's face as he sat on his mother's lap. It was absolutely dreadful. It was terror, innocence, pleading, pain and just absolute misery. It made him feel so guilty, even though he knew that there was nothing he could do to stop what he was seeing. He looked at Diana who stared at her son with an expression of worry, guilt, and pity. Only she knew the demons that tormented her son. It was a blessing and a curse. Her eyes were shiny with unshed tears. He saw her clearly restraining herself from crying. She refused to break while her son was there. He could not see William from where he stood. Perhaps because he was still slightly wary of his friends father. After years of pronounced hatred and anger, to have the flame of fury suddenly quashed was still a shock to the entire team- Not just himself.

The second emotion that he could comprehend was confusion. Why all the secrecy? The team already knew about his lifestyle. Why keep this from them? The answer presented itself almost immediately: acting a certain way was one thing, but trying to make it a reality with material possessions was something different entirely. He supposed that Spencer didn't want to be seen differently for his choices. Morgan figured that if the roles had been reversed, he would have wanted the same.

Next, there was an understanding. It wasn't his job to judge this situation. As long as his friend was happy, he could be too. He watched Diana rock in the rocking chair, running her fingers through her son's hair calmly. It seemed to soothe him. He saw William cross the room to sit with them.

Abruptly, he felt like he was an intruder in an intimate moment. He quietly made his way to the kitchen and drank his tea. He could still hear Diana's voice floating through the house. She was singing her son a lullaby.

_"Lavender's blue, dilly, dilly, lavender's green,__  
__When I am king, dilly, dilly, You shall be queen.__  
__Who told you so, dilly, dilly, who told you so?__  
__'Twas my own heart, dilly, dilly, that told me so.__  
__Call up your men, dilly, dilly, set them to work__  
__Some to the plough, dilly, dilly, some to the fork,__  
__Some to make hay, dilly, dilly, some to cut corn,__  
__While you and I, dilly, dilly, keep ourselves warm.__  
__Lavender's green, dilly, dilly, Lavender's blue,__  
__If you love me, dilly, dilly, I will love you.__  
__Let the birds sing, dilly, dilly, And the lambs play;__  
__We shall be safe, dilly, dilly, out of harm's way.__  
__I love to dance, dilly, dilly, I love to sing;__  
__When I am queen, dilly, dilly, You'll be my king.__  
__Who told me so, dilly, dilly, Who told me so?__  
__I told myself, dilly, dilly, I told me so."_

Silence blanketed the house. Morgan felt the urge to go and see what was going on, but stopped it. He could picture what was happening fairly easily. Spencer was likely very calm- possibly asleep. He was probably being changed into something more comfortable to sleep in. Idly, he wondered what would happen now. His question was quickly answered as William made his way out of the room. They stared at each other for a beat before William spoke.

"Can I talk to you for a minute?"

Morgan nodded, and William sat beside him. He looked thoughtful for a moment before speaking. "My son has put a lot of trust in you and your friends." He began. "Over time, my wife and I have begun to trust you all as well. We were hoping to keep the nursery a secret because the less people know about this the less likely it is to get out. I understand that you and the rest of Spencer's team can keep a secret, but part of the reason we haven't told you about this is because of Spencer's own fear of rejection." Derek's profiling skills had served him well. "Personally, I don't mind if the rest of your team knows about this, but you have to keep this quiet to anybody else. No one on the outside can know about this. Diana and I will handle telling Spencer, but I leave it to you to explain this to his friends. Are we agreed?" He extended his hand. Morgan hesitated a moment, then shook his hand.

"Agreed."

Derek finished his tea, then went home for the night.

The next morning, Diana sat Spencer in her lap and explained what had happened the evening before. Spencer looked at her with wide eyes as she told him that his friend had seen into this piece of his private world. Diana almost thought he was going to cry, but he didn't. He listened calmly and felt relieved to know that his friends would finally know all of his secret- not just one part of it.

Morgan had texted the entire team to come in early so that they could talk. They all gathered in the conference room at seven, and Derek explained everything that he had witnessed the night before. He saw surprise cross all of their faces, along with other emotions that he himself had experienced. At the end, all he saw on their faces was acceptance.

When Spencer came in that morning, he was met with smiles and love. He grinned. It was the best reaction he could have hoped for. When they all boarded the jet for their next case, Spencer took a moment to thank whatever deity would listen that he had such amazing friends.

**A/N: Please Review!**


	24. Epilogue

Those next few days were difficult for Spencer. Although his friends were extremely supportive, he still needed time to adjust to the idea of them knowing about his nursery. His biggest worry was that they would treat him differently after knowing about it, but his friends never did, and he was grateful for that. Slowly, life started taking on a sort of normalcy again. Of course, nothing was completely the same- new cases came, hallucinations plagued him on occasion, and life at home sometimes was rough, but overall, life was good.

Diana and William's marriage was stronger than ever. They were together as constantly as possible. They had beat the odds and grown close again. Taking care of their son had made them better people. Together, they had helped their son through a difficult transition through his life, and it made them feel good.

The BAU continued solving crimes and excelling together. They no longer had any secrets between them. Their friendship was strong, and they remained close.

As for Spencer, he now had everything he ever wanted. A family, amazing friends, and a good life. As he lay in his crib one night, a smile graced his face. Nothing could ever break the bonds of family ties.


	25. Final Author's Note

**Author's Note:**

**Hey guys! I'm so glad you all saw this story through to the end. It feels amazing to see this story come to its close. Thank you all for being such amazing readers! This story wouldn't have been the same without you!**

**With Love,****  
****Holly**


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